Lionel Messi needs 94 games to reach football’s 1,000-goal landmark, figures show

Lionel Messi is on course to reach 1,000 career goals after about 94 more matches, based on his current scoring rate. The Argentina forward has scored 926 goals in 1,171 official appearances for Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Miami and Argentina, leaving him 74 short of the landmark.

Messi’s current rate of 0.790 goals per match means he would need roughly 94 games to complete the journey if he maintains that level of production. With the 37-year-old continuing to perform for Inter Miami, the prospect of reaching a target achieved by only a small number of football’s greatest legends is becoming increasingly realistic.

The pursuit of 1,000 goals is the latest individual challenge in a career that has already included the 2022 World Cup with Argentina. Although Messi has never publicly declared the milestone to be a personal objective, his numbers continue to suggest that it is within reach.

His move to Major League Soccer was viewed by some as the beginning of the final stage of his career. Instead, the Argentina captain has continued to produce influential performances for Inter Miami, showing that his ability to decide matches has not been limited by geography or age.

Messi’s progress is also being measured against his long-standing rival Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo is currently top of the all-time scoring standings with 978 goals, while Messi is second on 926. The gap has narrowed steadily as both players have continued to extend records that once appeared beyond reach.

Their rivalry has become one of the most celebrated in sporting history, with each player pushing the other to extraordinary levels. Together, they have moved beyond the totals associated with earlier greats such as Pele and Romario. Those players competed in different eras, while Messi and Ronaldo have accumulated their goals during a period in which elite football is more structured and comprehensively recorded.

According to the scoring figures updated on 30 August 2026, Messi’s 0.790 goals per game is slightly better than Ronaldo’s rate of 0.735. The figure reflects the Argentine’s remarkable consistency across more than two decades at the highest level.

Messi’s efficiency has developed alongside changes to his role. At Barcelona, he evolved from a skilful wide player into a false nine who broke numerous scoring records, including during a period in which he produced extraordinary numbers over a single calendar year.

His time at Paris Saint-Germain brought different challenges, but he continued to contribute goals. With Argentina, meanwhile, Messi has become the team’s captain, leading scorer and principal creator, making his ability to sustain such a high scoring rate even more notable.

The 74 goals still required could come in fewer than 94 matches if Messi enjoys an especially productive spell. The total could also rise if he is rested more often, suffers injuries or is used in a deeper role that requires him to help build attacks from further back.

At this stage of his career, Messi plays between 45 and 50 matches per season for Inter Miami and Argentina. Those appearances cover Major League Soccer, the Leagues Cup and the Concacaf Champions Cup, as well as important international fixtures with Argentina.

On that basis, the 1,000-goal mark could arrive after approximately two seasons. If Messi remains fit and continues to score at his present rate, he is expected to reach it during the first half of 2028. The target is made more attainable by his contract renewal with Inter Miami through that year.

Inter Miami matches are available to watch on Apple TV.

Reaching 1,000 goals would provide a final statistical exclamation mark to an exceptional career. It would further strengthen Messi’s standing among the greatest players ever to play the game and could become the figure used to settle, once and for all, the debate over “the best in history”.