Lionel Messi Eyes Goal Count to Catch Cristiano Ronaldo After Inter Miami’s Victory Over New England

Lionel Messi Scores as Inter Miami Defeats New England Revolution 2-1

Lionel Messi found the net in Inter Miami’s 2-1 win against the New England Revolution on Sunday, November 1. The Herons secured their victory with a goal also from Germán Berterame.

This latest goal brought Messi’s total to 937 official career goals, closing the gap to Cristiano Ronaldo, who recently reached 985 goals with a hat trick in his game against Al-Kholood on October 29.

After the match, Messi stands 48 goals behind Ronaldo.

This gap could change as both players continue to compete with their teams.

Messi’s scoring journey began at Barcelona, where he scored 672 goals to become the club’s all-time leading scorer, followed by 32 goals at Paris Saint-Germain.

Currently, Messi has netted 106 goals with Inter Miami and 126 with the Argentina national team. Altogether, these contributions total 936 goals across his four professional stages.

Messi Continues to Pursue Record-breaking Performance

At 39 years old, the forward remains under contract with Inter Miami until the conclusion of the 2028 season. His chances of closing the gap on Ronaldo depend on his scoring rate and how much longer he stays active, keeping the rivalry between two soccer legends alive.

The MLS has seen significant growth recently; however, a common issue remains in how teams build their rosters, particularly concerning defense. This aspect may give Messi an advantage if he plays through his contract until 2028, providing him numerous opportunities to reduce the gap between himself and Ronaldo, despite the currently significant 49-goal difference.

Ronaldo will continue to accumulate goals, but his longevity on the field may be in question, given he is already 41 years old.

Upcoming Matches for Cristiano Ronaldo with Al Nassr and Portugal

Turning back to Cristiano Ronaldo, the following is a list of matches he will partake in with Al Nassr and the Portugal national team before the conclusion of 2026. The pressing question is whether he can reach 1,000 career goals by year-end.