Cristiano Ronaldo continues to rewrite the history books, this time in Saudi Arabia. The Portuguese star scored his 100th Saudi Pro League goal to lead Al Nassr to victory, moving the club within reach of the league title. As soon as he hit the century mark, comparisons immediately surfaced regarding Lionel Messi’s current goal count in MLS.
While the Portuguese star has recorded 100 goals in 105 Saudi Pro League matches, Messi has tallied 58 goals in 63 Major League Soccer appearances for Inter Miami.
By reaching this milestone in Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo has set an unprecedented record as the only player in history to score 100 or more goals in three different domestic leagues, having previously achieved the feat in LaLiga and the Premier League.
Breaking down Ronaldo’s 100 SPL goals
In his debut 2022–23 campaign, Ronaldo appeared in only 16 matches after joining mid-season. Even in that limited window, he managed 14 goals, offering a glimpse of the prolific scoring to come.
That’s how the 🐐 gets it done. 💯 pic.twitter.com/9q0B64fOyo
— Roshn Saudi League (@SPL_EN) May 7, 2026
His first full season (2023–24) was truly historic; he scored an incredible 35 goals in 30 games, winning his first Golden Boot in Saudi Arabia. In doing so, he broke the single-season scoring record previously held by Abderrazak Hamdallah (34 goals).
Ronaldo secured his second consecutive Golden Boot in the 2024–25 season with 25 goals in 30 matches. In the current 2025–26 campaign, the captain reached the 100-goal career milestone in the Saudi Pro League after netting his 25th goal in 28 games. With two matches remaining in the season, that number is likely to rise further.
Messi’s goal tracker in MLS
Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami late in the 2023 season, appearing in only six MLS matches and scoring his lone league goal during his debut against the New York Red Bulls.
His first full season in 2024 was hampered by injuries, limiting him to 19 appearances. Nevertheless, he was highly efficient, scoring 20 goals and earning his first MLS MVP award.
Messi’s most dominant stretch came in 2025, when he led Inter Miami to their first-ever MLS Cup title. He was the league’s standout performer, winning the MLS Golden Boot with 29 goals in 25 games and securing his second consecutive MVP trophy. The Argentine legend is currently on pace for another successful individual campaign in 2026, having already scored eight goals in 10 matches.
