1000 goals, the countdown is back on between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

With his goal for Inter Miami against Toronto FC, Lionel Messi has netted the 923rd goal of his career. This new milestone reignites his race with Cristiano Ronaldo towards the elusive 1,000-goal mark.

Last night, Inter Miami fell 2-1 to Toronto FC at the Nu Stadium, marking their fifth match without a win across all competitions. Trailing 2-0, the Herons pulled one back with ten minutes to go thanks to Lionel Messi. However, his strike wasn't enough to stave off defeat.

Nevertheless, this goal propelled the Argentine captain to an astonishing new tally of 923 career goals in 1,170 matches across all competitions. That puts Lionel Messi just 77 goals away from reaching the symbolic milestone of 1,000 career goals. This quest is shared with his eternal rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who currently sits at 977 goals in 1,331 matches. The Portuguese striker, now closer to the mark, needs just 23 more goals to reach this historic figure himself.

CR7 holds the numerical advantage in this race, but Messi boasts a far superior ratio, having played nearly 200 fewer matches for almost the same number of goals. The big question now: which of these footballing legends will be the first to cross this iconic threshold, as both continue their careers—one in MLS, the other in Saudi Arabia.

Read also: Rennes vs PSG: The Parisians' squad for the Ligue 1 opener

Joshua SOSSOU

Editorfr, en, ar

As a sports fan, and particularly a football fan, I've been putting my writing talent to good use for a number of years now to promote African talent and the continent's football in general. On Foot Africa, enjoy reading each of my lines.

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