Messi Reaches 900 Career Goals But Inter Miami Eliminated From Champions Cup

Lionel Messi scored his 900th career goal Wednesday night, but the milestone was overshadowed as Inter Miami was eliminated from the CONCACAF Champions Cup by Nashville SC following a 1-1 draw at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Messi opened the scoring in the seventh minute, firing a shot past Nashville goalkeeper Joe Willis. The goal made him only the second men’s player in history to reach 900 goals in official matches, following Cristiano Ronaldo, who achieved the feat in September 2024. Messi reached the mark in 1,142 games, whereas Ronaldo required 1,236.

But, Nashville responded in the 74th minute when Cristian Espinoza converted a rebound after Alex Muyl’s initial shot was blocked. The goal proved decisive, as the first leg between the two sides ended in a scoreless draw, meaning Nashville advanced on away goals.

The result marks a significant upset for Inter Miami, and a milestone victory for Nashville SC, which had previously suffered four defeats to Miami in cup competitions since Messi’s arrival in 2023, including losses in the 2023 U.S. Open Cup, the 2023 Leagues Cup final, and a playoff series last season.

Inter Miami manager Javier Mascherano expressed disappointment with the outcome but took responsibility for the elimination. “Clearly, it is a very sad night, full of disappointment,” Mascherano said. “We had high hopes of advancing in the competition… but we ended up getting knocked out. The reality is that I have absolutely nothing to reproach the players for. They gave their absolute maximum.”

Nashville coach B.J. Callaghan praised Messi’s achievement despite the result. “900 goals, congratulations to him. He’s the best,” Callaghan said.

Messi’s goal was the 81st of his Inter Miami career, adding to his 672 goals for Barcelona and 32 for Paris Saint-Germain. He also has 115 goals for the Argentina national team. The Argentine captain was the 2025 MLS Golden Boot winner, scoring 29 goals during the regular season, and also earned the 2025 MLS MVP award.

The tie concluded a busy stretch for Nashville SC, who will now turn their attention back to the MLS season.