Lionel Messi has intensified the race with Cristiano Ronaldo to reach 1,000 career goals after another extraordinary performance at the age of 39.
Messi scored four goals and provided an assist as Inter Miami defeated CF Montreal 7-1, taking his official senior career tally to 927 goals. The result also ended Miami’s five-match winless run in emphatic fashion.
Messi scores four against Montreal
Messi’s display was far more than a routine statistical boost. His four-goal performance included two free kicks, while he also created Luis Suarez’s goal.
The Argentine has now scored 927 goals in 1,171 senior appearances. That return is particularly remarkable because much of his career has involved creating chances and controlling play rather than operating solely as a penalty-area striker.
Messi has scored 31 goals in 34 appearances for club and country during 2026, underlining that his pursuit of 1,000 career goals is being driven by current form as well as past achievements.
Ronaldo still leads the 1,000-goal race
Cristiano Ronaldo remains ahead after scoring for Al Nassr against Al Taawoun. His official career total stands at 978 goals, leaving him 22 short of the 1,000-goal landmark.
Messi needs another 73 goals, giving Ronaldo a substantial mathematical advantage in the immediate contest. However, the age gap between the two players could keep the race open.
Ronaldo is 41, while Messi is 39. If both continue playing beyond the current season, Messi could have more time to reduce the remaining distance.
Ronaldo also leads Messi in international goals, having scored 146 for Portugal compared with Messi’s 125 for Argentina.
Even so, Messi’s four-goal exhibition against Montreal has added another twist to football’s latest individual race. Ronaldo may be only 22 goals away from history, but Messi’s remarkable scoring form means the contest is far from a procession.
Source: www.marca.com
