Idman.biz
Lionel Messi has reached the historic milestone of 900 career goals. But how does his journey compare to that of Cristiano Ronaldo? The answer is clear: Messi achieved it faster and more efficiently.
Idman.Biz reports that Messi's achievement coincided with an unsuccessful match. Although he opened the scoring in the early minutes of Inter Miami's game against Nashville in the CONCACAF Champions League, his team was eliminated from the tournament due to the away goals rule (1:1, first leg 0:0). For the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, this was a reminder that 900 goals is not the limit, but also does not guarantee titles. The CONCACAF Champions League is still one of the three titles missing from his collection.
Ronaldo: An Emotional Moment
Cristiano Ronaldo reached this milestone in September 2024, scoring the second goal in Portugal's victory over Croatia (2:1) in the Nations League. His reaction was very emotional: he covered his face with his hands and dropped to his knees.
Ronaldo said about this at the time:
"This means a lot. It was a goal I had been striving for a long time. I knew I would reach this milestone: if I kept playing, it would happen naturally. Only I and those around me know how much you have to work every day to score 900 goals, to stay in shape physically and mentally. It's a unique stage in my career."
Since then, Ronaldo has openly talked about his goal of 1000 goals. He currently has 965 goals - only 35 goals away from 1000.
Can Messi Reach 1000 Goals?
Theoretically - yes. But for this, he would have to play beyond the age of 40. Messi recently extended his contract with Inter Miami until the end of 2028 - at which time he will be 41 years old.
If he maintains his form and continues to score goals in the MLS, the 1000-goal mark is achievable. But there is a nuance here: the level of competition in the MLS is generally lower than in La Liga or Serie A. Therefore, even if Messi reaches 1000 goals, many will compare the context of his goals with Ronaldo, who continues to score in a more high-intensity championship - Saudi Arabia.
Conclusion
Messi reached 900 goals a year earlier and in fewer matches, which speaks to his incredible efficiency. Ronaldo, on the other hand, is closer to 1000 goals and is still actively scoring at the age of 41. Both are legends, but their paths are different: Messi is a genius of efficiency, while Ronaldo is a goal machine. The finale of this race - the 1000-goal mark - could be the final act of football history's greatest rivalry.
Messi's stats after 900 goals:
Games: 1142
Age: 38 years, 8 months, 22 days
Time since debut: 21 years, 5 months, 2 days
Goals: 900
Penalties: 112
Assists: 407
Time per goal without penalties: 119 minutes.
Ronaldo's stats after 900 goals:
Games: 1236
Age: 39 years, 7 months
Time since debut: 22 years, 22 days
Goals: 900
Penalties: 164
Assists: 254
Time per goal without penalties: 137 minutes.
