Lionel Messi goes past Cristiano Ronaldo to hold incredible record after brace vs NYRB

Argentine superstar Lionel Messi went past long-time archrival and Portuguese marksman Cristiano Ronaldo after bagging a brace in Inter Miami's 5-1 thumping of the New York Red Bulls (July 19).

Messi and Ronaldo headlined one of the biggest individual sporting rivalries for almost a decade and a half. The pair won 13 Ballon d'Or titles between them (eight for the Argentine, five for the Portuguese) and have netted over 800 goals each thus far.

Despite being in the twilight of their careers, the two superstar forwards have continued to assert their dominance for their respective sides. While the 38-year-old has 22 goals and seven assists in 28 appearances for Miami this season, the 40-year-old bagged 35 goals and four assists in 41 games for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr in the 2024-25 campaign.

Messi and Ronaldo have continued to better each other's goalscoring records, with the latest instance occurring in the Herons' clash against NYRB. The pair of goals scored by the Argentine maestro took him to 764 non-penalty goals across his entire career, one better than the Portugal captain (763) (via @TouchlineX on X).

The ex-Barcelona man has been in incredible touch of late, with the pair of goals against the Bulls marking his sixth brace in the last seven games (along with five assists). The win took Inter Miami to 41 points after 21 games, placing them seven points adrift of Eastern Conference leaders FC Cincinnati with three games in hand.

Up next, Messi will be seen in action in the Herons' crucial match-up against Cincinnati on Saturday (July 26).

"Football won't be the same" - Ex-Manchester United star Nani on Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's eventual retirement

Former Manchester United star Nani has claimed that football won't be the same after superstar attackers Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo bid farewell to the game.

Nani made 131 appearances alongside Ronaldo for United and Portugal, assisting him nine times and scoring off his passes on five occasions. While he never played with the Argentine icon, he held him in an equally high regard as his countryman.

At an event in early July 2025, Nani was asked about his compatriot's two-year contract extension with Al-Nassr (until 2027). He replied (via GOAL):

"He's a machine, he's a different player and you can tell by the level he's reached in football. We criticise Ronaldo and Messi a lot, but the day they retire, football won't be the same. The fact that they've dropped off the radar of the best clubs made a difference straight away. We have to make the most of it while they're still on the pitch."

After playing for 10 clubs across 19 seasons, including United, Lazio and Sporting CP, Nani retired from football in December 2024.

Edited by Nihal