Lionel Messi’s team endured a 4-1 defeat against Minnesota United in MLS. The debate between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most heated in sports, with fans on both sides defending their favorite player using titles, statistics, and more. However, Messi has recently reached a new goal-scoring milestone at a faster pace.
Despite his team’s crushing 4-1 loss to Minnesota United in Saturday’s MLS match, Messi scored his 860th career goal for Inter Miami. Although it was just a consolation goal, the 37-year-old showcased a brilliant individual effort.
The classic linkup lives on as Jordi Alba delivers and Messi does the rest ✨@MLS pic.twitter.com/3CKoY07ss9
— OneFootball (@OneFootball) May 10, 2025
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored an impressive 934 goals, putting him well ahead of Lionel Messi, who has also reached the 860-goal mark. However, Messi achieved this milestone much faster, requiring only 1,098 games. This means Messi was nearly a year younger and needed 91 fewer matches to reach 860 goals compared to Ronaldo.
Ronaldo scored his 860th goal with a stunning free kick during a Saudi Pro League match against Damac—a rare sight these days given his recent struggles with free kicks.
Despite approaching 40 years old, the former Real Madrid star remains determined to become the first player in history to reach 1,000 career goals. Retirement doesn’t seem to be on his mind anytime soon.
As for Lionel Messi, it’s still uncertain when he will call it a day, but he will turn 38 in June. Given his ongoing performance, he might even surpass Ronaldo in reaching other records, as he too seems to have several more seasons left in him.
Lionel Messi’s Contract Situation at Inter Miami
Messi signed a 2.5-year contract with Inter Miami in 2023, which is set to run until December 2025.
The deal provides Messi with a base salary of nearly $20.5 million per season. Including lucrative commercial partnerships with Apple and Adidas, his total annual earnings rise to around $60 million.
Although Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas had previously expressed confidence in securing Messi’s contract extension within two to three months back in April, no official agreement has been reached yet.
