Lionel Messi reaches 900 career goals: How long did it take Cristiano Ronaldo?

At 38, Lionel Messi shows no signs of slowing down as he continues to rewrite the history books. The Argentine legend surpassed 900 career goals during Inter Miami vs Nashville at the Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16, immediately sparking comparisons regarding the pace of his longtime rival, Cristiano Ronaldo.

While Messi scored his 900th career goal in 1,142 official matches, Ronaldo hit the same milestone in his 1,238th official game (according to ESPN) on September 5, 2024, during Portugal’s 2–1 victory over Croatia in the Nations League.

With this achievement, the Argentine and the Portuguese remain the only two players in soccer history to reach 900 professional goals. Among other active players, Robert Lewandowski is the closest to the mark with 713 goals, while the legendary Josef Bican previously held the high-water mark for retired players with 759 goals.

The path from both players to the 900-goal mark

Throughout his storied career, Messi’s tally includes 672 goals with Barcelona (all-time club record), 115 with Argentina (all-time national record), 32 with Paris Saint-Germain, and 81 with Inter Miami.

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Ronaldo’s path to 900 was paved with goals for Sporting CP (5), Manchester United (145), Real Madrid (450, all-time club record), Juventus (101), Al Nassr (68), and Portugal (131, all-time national record).

How’s the race to the 1,000-goal milestone going?

With Messi officially crossing the 900-goal mark, the focus of the soccer world has shifted to the ultimate finish line: the historic 1,000-goal milestone. While no player in soccer history has ever reached four digits, the race between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is reaching a fever pitch as both legends enter the final chapters of their careers.

Cristiano Ronaldo currently holds the advantage in this marathon. The Portuguese superstar has tallied 965 career goals, and despite being 41 years old, he shows no signs of slowing down.

Ronaldo has already netted 8 goals in the 2026 calendar year for Al Nassr, bringing his total for the 2025–26 season to an impressive 22 goals. He is now just 35 strikes away from the 1,000-goal mark—a figure that seemed impossible just a few years ago.