Lionel Messi made history by scoring his 900th career goal, becoming only the second male player ever to reach the milestone, but it wasn’t enough to keep Inter Miami CF in the Concacaf Champions Cup.
Inter Miami were eliminated after a 1-1 second-leg draw against Nashville SC, with the tie ending goalless in the first leg. Nashville advanced on the away goals rule after Cristian Espinoza canceled out Messi’s early opener with a crucial second-half strike.
Messi, who had narrowly missed the milestone in previous matches, wasted no time in the decisive clash, scoring within the first 10 minutes to give Miami hope. However, Espinoza’s equalizer midway through the second half proved decisive, as Miami failed to find a winning goal late on.
After the match, head coach Javier Mascherano expressed disappointment but praised his team’s effort, taking responsibility for the elimination. Nashville boss B.J. Callaghan also applauded Messi’s achievement, calling him “the best.”
With his 900th goal, Messi joins Cristiano Ronaldo as the only players in men’s football history to reach the landmark. Ronaldo achieved the feat in 2024 and currently leads the all-time scoring charts.
Despite the historic moment, the night ended in frustration for Inter Miami, whose Concacaf Champions Cup journey comes to an early end, even as Messi continues to rewrite football history.
