Lionel Messi smashes Cristiano Ronaldo record with fastest 900 goals, but Inter Miami crash out in brutal twist

Lionel Messi's historic feat proved insufficient as Inter Miami crashed out, with Nashville advancing to the quarterfinals after a decisive second-half strike.

Updated on: Mar 19, 2026, 09:01:49 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

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Lionel Messi reached yet another landmark on Wednesday night, scoring his 900th career goal in the opening minutes of Inter Miami’s CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16 clash against Nashville. But the historic feat proved insufficient as Inter Miami crashed out, with Nashville advancing to the quarterfinals after a decisive second-half strike.

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi walks to kick a corner kick in heavy rain during the first half of a CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16 match vs Nashville (AP)

The reigning MLS MVP and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner did what he has done for most of his career score with his trusted left foot. In the seventh minute, Messi received the ball inside the box, controlled it deftly and fired a low shot through a crowd of defenders into the far corner to hand Miami an early lead in the crucial second leg.

Messi’s milestone also placed him ahead of his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo in terms of speed to the mark. Ronaldo remains the only other player with 900-plus career goals, having reached the milestone at the age of 39 in September 2024. Messi, who turns 39 only in June, achieved it in significantly fewer matches — nearly 100 games quicker than the Portuguese star.

Of his 900 goals, 672 came in 778 appearances for Barcelona, 32 in 75 matches for Paris Saint-Germain, and 81 in 93 appearances for Inter Miami since joining the club in 2023. The remaining 115 goals have come for Argentina across 196 caps.

Despite Messi’s early breakthrough, Inter Miami failed to build on their advantage. Nashville struck in the second half to turn the tie, capitalising on a chaotic sequence inside the Miami penalty area. A shot was initially blocked and deflected into a dangerous area, before falling kindly to an unmarked Cristian Espinoza, who calmly slotted home the winner.

The goal proved decisive, sending Nashville into the quarterfinals, where they will face either the Philadelphia Union or Mexico’s Club América.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

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