Lionel Messi is coming off a fantastic performance, scoring four goals for Inter Miami against CF Montreal in MLS action. While the outing immediately raised questions about when Cristiano Ronaldo last pulled off a four-goal match, it also left Messi just two goals (98) shy of reaching 100 goals with Inter Miami.
On Ronaldo’s side, the forward currently has 131 official goals with Al-Nassr, having already surpassed the 100-goal mark for the club. The Portuguese striker recently scored against Al-Taawoun FC in the Saudi League, bringing his overall career total to 978 goals.
Messi is now on the verge of reaching the 100-club goal mark three years after joining Inter Miami in 2023, compared to Cristiano Ronaldo, who joined Al-Nassr in 2022.
Near 1,000 goals
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi remain locked in a historic scoring race, now with a remarkable target: 1,000 career goals. Ronaldo leads with 978 goals in 1,333 appearances, while Messi has reached 927 in 1,171 games following his four-goal performance for Inter Miami against Montreal.
Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF controls the ball.
The current gap between the two is 51 goals, although Ronaldo has also played 162 more matches than Messi. The Portuguese star is significantly closer to four figures, needing only 22 more goals, while the Argentine needs 73.
How many goals does Ronaldo need to reach 1,000?
Cristiano Ronaldo needs 22 more goals to reach 1,000 in his professional career. His latest goal came on Friday for Al-Nassr against Al-Taawoun FC in the Saudi Pro League, taking his total to 978. Of the two superstars, Ronaldo is currently much closer to reaching the four-digit milestone.
How many goals does Messi need to reach 1,000?
Lionel Messi needs another 73 goals to reach 1,000. The Argentine made a significant jump toward the milestone by scoring four times in Inter Miami‘s 7-1 MLS victory over Montreal. He also reached 74 from direct free kicks.
