Lionel Messi reaches 930 goals and puts pressure on Cristiano Ronaldo in the race to 1,000

Lionel Messi once again delivered one of those nights destined to be etched into the history books of world football. The Argentine star rescued Inter Miami with a sensational free-kick goal against San Diego FC , reaching a figure that seems almost otherworldly: 930 official career goals .

The match had started poorly after Anders Dreyer ’s early strike in the 12th minute. But when the pressure is on, the No. 10 appears. In the 24th minute, after a foul just outside the box, Messi curled a perfectly placed free kick over the wall, off the post, and past goalkeeper CJ dos Santos . It was a moment of pure class that marked his 20th goal of the 2026 MLS season and reaffirmed his status as the league’s leading scorer.

101 goals in Florida and a relentless pace

At 39 years old, the Rosario genius continues to shatter every imaginable record. Just days after reaching his 100th goal for the club in the Campeones Cup victory over Cruz Azul, Messi moved to 101 goals in an Inter Miami shirt. His impact remains total: 11 assists in 22 league matches and direct involvement in goals across eight consecutive games.

Yet the night did not end on a fully happy note. Although Luis Suárez put Miami ahead in the 74th minute, Dreyer struck again in the closing stages to seal a dramatic 2-2 draw. Goalkeeper dos Santos emerged as the hero, denying Messi victory with three miraculous saves in the final six minutes.

The result extended Inter Miami’s winless streak to four matches under Gerardo Martino, whose last victory came on August 29 against Montreal. Despite the collective setback, the team remains third in the Eastern Conference with 46 points , awaiting its September 27 clash with Columbus Crew. Meanwhile, Messi keeps devouring records at a frenetic pace, steadily closing the gap on the mythical and once-unreachable milestone of 1,000 career goals.