For more than two decades, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo took their rivalry to numbers that seemed unattainable. Now, in the final stage of their careers, they still have one milestone pending that pits them against each other from afar: becoming the first footballer to reach 1,000 official goals.

Messi scored a brace in Inter Miami's 3-1 victory over Atlanta United and took his tally to 936 official goals. Cristiano Ronaldo, for his part, has 981 and retains a lead of 45 goals.

The math is clear: the Portuguese player needs 19 goals to reach 1,000, while the Argentine captain still needs to score 64. Although the gap still favors the Al Nassr forward, Messi’s new brace keeps the race open, added to Lionel Messi’s performance in the second quarter of the year.

Messi closes the gap on Cristiano Ronaldo

Inter Miami's captain was decisive in the second half of the match played at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. He scored in the 56th minute and found the net again just four minutes later to complete his brace. Germán Berterame had opened the scoring before halftime, while Atlanta pulled one back in the final stretch.

The two goals also raised his tally to 25 goals in the regular MLS season, in another performance that confirmed his importance in the American team's attack.

The fact fueling the battle with Cristiano lies in both players' scoring pace during 2026. According to the records released after the match, Messi has 40 goals in the calendar year for both his club and the national team, compared to the Portuguese player's 24. 

Lionel Messi has a 16-goal advantage in the specified period, although he is still behind in his career total.

The stadium that also holds a World Cup memory

The brace had another ingredient: Messi scored again at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the venue for the 2026 World Cup semifinal in which Argentina beat England 2-1.

In that match, played on July 15, England took the lead with a goal by Anthony Gordon in the 55th minute.

"The Albiceleste responded in the closing stages: Enzo Fernández equalized in the 85th minute and Lautaro Martínez scored the winner in stoppage time. Messi provided the assist on both plays and was key in sending Argentina through to the final against Spain.

One more victory with Inter Miami, in a stadium that brings back beautiful memories from just a little while ago...

 publicó Lionel Messi

Months later, the Argentine left his mark once again at the same stadium, this time wearing the Inter Miami jersey. His two goals against Atlanta not only contributed to his team’s victory: they also added to his personal tally in a statistical race in which Cristiano Ronaldo still remains ahead.

A race that still has no winner

At 39 years old, Messi continues adding goals and narrowing the gap in one of football’s most closely followed individual comparisons. Cristiano, also in the final stretch of his career, is closer to reaching 1,000, but the Argentine maintains a goal-scoring pace that prevents the race from being considered over.

At 39 years old, Messi continues to tame matches with extraordinary longevity. His brace against Atlanta United raised his official tally to 936 goals and once again narrowed the gap with Cristiano Ronaldo, who leads the race to 1,000 with 981.