Argentine superstar Lionel Messi has scored his 900th career goal, becoming only the second player in men’s football to reach this incredible milestone after Cristiano Ronaldo.

The historic goal came during a match for Inter Miami CF against Nashville SC in the Concacaf Champions Cup, where the game ended in a 1-1 draw.

Messi reached this milestone 21 years after scoring his first senior goal for FC Barcelona in 2005, when he was just 17 years old.

Now 38, Messi achieved 900 goals in 1,142 matches, almost 100 games fewer than Ronaldo, who reached the same mark in 1,236 games in 2024. Ronaldo has now extended his total to 965 goals and is aiming to reach 1,000 before retirement.

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Most of Messi’s goals came during his legendary time at Barcelona, where he scored 672 goals. He also scored 32 goals for Paris Saint-Germain, 81 for Inter Miami, and 115 for the Argentina national team, with whom he won the FIFA World Cup in 2022.

Messi’s impact in big matches is also remarkable. He has scored 175 goals in knockout games, including 35 in finals, showing his ability to perform under pressure.

In the UEFA Champions League, Messi has scored 129 goals, second only to Ronaldo’s 140.

However, the night was not fully joyful. Despite Messi’s milestone, Inter Miami were knocked out of the tournament on away goals after their earlier match ended 0-0.

Messi’s coach, Javier Mascherano, praised him, calling his goal record “insane” and saying it is a privilege to witness such greatness.