Tag: Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi has admitted that while he personally pays little attention to his pursuit of 1,000 career goals, his children make sure the milestone is never far from his mind.

The Argentina and Inter Miami captain delivered an impressive performance on Wednesday, scoring twice and providing an assist as his side came from behind to beat Cincinnati 5-3, extending their away winning run to seven matches.

The result took Messi’s career goal tally to 909, leaving him 91 goals short of the historic 1,000-goal mark.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, who turns 39 in June, said he is not personally fixated on reaching the milestone, but according to football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, his kids frequently bring it up and keep the conversation alive at home.

Meanwhile, his long-standing rival Cristiano Ronaldo sits considerably closer to the landmark, having already amassed 965 career goals at the age of 41.

The Portugal captain, who currently plays for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, is widely regarded as the favourite to become the first player in football history to reach 1,000 career goals and potentially do so before Messi gets anywhere near the figure.

The contrasting timelines of the two footballing legends continue to fuel debate among fans, with Ronaldo’s superior current tally suggesting he will claim the historic milestone first.

Lionel Messi continues to sit comfortably at the top of the MLS pay scale following a new contract extension with Inter Miami CF.

Data released by the MLS Players Association shows that the Argentine captain takes home a base salary of $25 million per year, which is more than twice what any other player in the league earns.

His total guaranteed earnings are reported to reach around $28.3 million annually.

Messi, now 38, agreed to the extension back in October, further solidifying his position as the biggest name in American soccer since he made the move to the United States in 2023.

In second place on the salary list is former Tottenham winger Son Heung-min, earning a base of $11.2 million, with Rodrigo De Paul and Hirving Lozano also featuring among the league’s top earners.

It is worth noting that the published figures do not cover Messi’s endorsement income or his option to acquire an ownership stake in Inter Miami, the club partly owned by David Beckham.

Since arriving in Florida, Messi has had a transformative effect on the league’s international standing.

On the pitch, he has been equally impressive, scoring 59 goals in 64 regular-season games, claiming the golden boot last season with 29 goals, and playing a central role in Inter Miami’s MLS Cup triumph in 2025.

Football legend Lionel Messi has spoken about the intense scrutiny of his social media activity, noting that even his smallest online actions are frequently exaggerated.

In a statement on social media, the Argentine forward noted that routine actions such as following or unfollowing accounts frequently become headline news, forcing him to be more cautious online.

Messi explained that an unfollow can easily be misinterpreted, creating unnecessary speculation and narratives that have nothing to do with football.

Despite this, he said it is impossible to overanalyse every action, adding that living under constant concern about public reaction would make life unmanageable.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner stressed that he prefers to keep attention firmly on his football career, noting that he has little interest in being discussed for matters unrelated to the game.

Lionel Messi has rewritten Major League Soccer’s record books once again, becoming the first player in league history to win consecutive Landon Donovan MLS MVP awards.

The Inter Miami superstar delivered a landmark 2025 campaign, posting numbers unmatched by nearly every player who has competed in the league.

Unprecedented output fuels historic MVP run

Messi’s year was defined by sustained dominance. He averaged 1.78 goal involvements per 90 minutes, trailing only his own record from the 2024 season.

He also became only the second player to lead MLS in both goals and assists in a single campaign, matching Sebastian Giovinco’s 2015 achievement.

The Argentine shattered multiple league benchmarks along the way. He became the first MLS player to record 10 multi-goal matches in a single season and produced three or more goal contributions in nine games.

Trophy haul points to complete dominance

Messi’s accolades prove the scope of his impact. Beyond his second straight MVP crown, he secured the MLS Golden Boot, was named MLS Cup MVP after orchestrating Inter Miami’s title win with two assists, and earned a suite of monthly and matchday honors.

Across his MLS tenure, Messi now holds:

2 MVP awards

1 MLS Cup MVP

2 Best XI selections

2 All-Star nods

1 Golden Boot

12 Player of the Matchday awards

5 Player of the Month awards

His MVP victory was a landslide, capturing more than 70% of the total vote, well ahead of Anders Dreyer, Denis Bouanga, Evander, and Sam Surridge.

Chasing records and surpassing legends

Messi is now only the second two-time MLS MVP winner, joining Preki, who claimed the award in 1997 and 2003. No other player has won it in consecutive seasons.

Miami’s season ends in triumph despite setbacks

Despite Messi’s statistical brilliance, Miami’s campaign came with turbulence. They exited the CONCACAF Champions Cup early, fell to Seattle in the Leagues Cup final, and failed to defend the Supporters’ Shield.

Their turnaround arrived in the postseason, where Messi’s leadership powered the club to its first-ever MLS Cup