Lionel Messi scored the 900th goal of his remarkable career on Wednesday, but it was not enough to stop Inter Miami from exiting the CONCACAF Champions Cup after a 1-1 draw with Nashville, who advanced on away goals.

The 38-year-old reached the milestone in just seven minutes, calmly finishing a low effort to put Miami ahead in the knockout second leg.

However, Nashville responded in the 74th minute through Cristian Espinoza, whose equaliser levelled the tie on aggregate. The visitors then held firm for the remainder of the match, securing a place in the quarter-finals on the away goals rule.

The result brought a disappointing end to a night that had initially looked set for celebration, with Messi’s early strike coming in what was Inter Miami’s final match at their Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.

The goal marked Messi’s 81st for Miami since joining Major League Soccer in 2023.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner previously scored 672 goals for Barcelona, 32 for Paris Saint-Germain, and 115 for Argentina, underlining his extraordinary consistency across club and international football.

Messi’s 900th career goal arrives more than two decades after his first senior strike, which came for Barcelona in a 2-0 win over Albacete in 2005 when he was just 17 years old.

Messi, widely regarded as the greatest player in football history, still has some way to go before he catches his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo, the 41-year-old Portuguese superstar who is on 965 career goals.

Speaking ahead of Messi’s 900th goal, Miami manager and former Argentina and Barcelona team-mate Javier Mascherano described the star’s goals total as “insane.”

“I haven’t contributed much to him scoring goals, neither with assists nor now as a coach,” Mascherano said.

“I’ve been lucky enough to see most, or many, of the goals he’s scored, much closer than you all, and that’s a privilege.

“The number we’re talking about (900) is insane, and that’s why Leo is a one of a kind.“

Clinical finish

Wednesday’s match in Fort Lauderdale carries added significance for Inter Miami, marking a farewell to the team’s Chase Stadium.

The venue has served as Inter Miami’s home since the club entered Major League Soccer in 2020. The team will move into a new purpose-built 26,700-seat facility next month.

Messi is strongly expected to play in his sixth World Cup later this year, when Argentina defend their title in the 48-team tournament being staged in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The Argentine star has already extended his Inter Miami contract through to the end of the 2028 season.

Messi’s prolific goalscoring has been a hallmark of his career. His 672 goals for Barcelona came in just 778 games – an average of 0.86 per game – helping the Catalan club win 35 trophies before departure to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.

In France, he scored 32 goals in 75 matches, winning three trophies including two league titles.

In Miami, his 81 goals have come in just 96 appearances, helping the team win the 2023 Leagues Cup and the 2025 MLS Cup.

His 115 international goals have come in 196 matches, including two in the 2022 World Cup final victory over France.

Messi’s goals tally leaves him second only to Ronaldo according to most recognised statistical records.

Brazilian legend Pele is often said to have scored more than 1,000 goals but those numbers have been the subject to debate. Most statisticians put Pele’s total for Brazil, Santos and New York Cosmos at 762.