Things have changed in soccer with both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo leaving Europe this year. Now, the Argentine superstar and the Portuguese ace are helping other leagues get more attention.
Messi not only has turned Inter Miami around, leading the team to an unlikely Leagues Cup success, but also gave MLS a huge boost of popularity. Ronaldo, meanwhile, paved the way for other stars to see the Saudi Pro League as a realistic destination.
But their departure from the Old Continent doesn’t mean they’re not making history anymore. In fact, Messi is chasing Ronaldo’s record for being the top goalscorer in soccer history.
How many goals does Messi need to match or overtake Ronaldo?
Lionel Messi is just 27 goals away from matching Cristiano Ronaldo’s scoring record. His 10 goals in just six games for Inter Miami put him closer to the Portuguese striker.
Messi has been on fire recently, scoring in every Leagues Cup game to help his side lift the trophy. Ronaldo, on the other hand, has just started a new season with Al-Nassr.
The 7x Ballon d’Or winner has 817 goals to his name, while the former Manchester United star has found the net on 844 occasions so far. This is waht the all-time scoring list looks like:
- Cristiano Ronaldo: 844 goals in 1174 games played
- Lionel Messi: 817 in 1035 games played
- Josef Bican: 805 in 530 games played
- Romario: 772 in 963 games played
- Pelé: 757 in 812 games played
