With his latest assist, Lionel Messi outshined Cristiano Ronaldo and turned into the first soccer player to ever reach 1,350 career goal contributions. Lionel Messi may have stepped away from international duty with Argentina, but that reality hardly excuses him from continuing to write soccer history with Inter Miami. With his latest assist, the forward outpaced long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo to become the first player in modern professional soccer history to reach 1,350 career goal contributions. Inter Miami traveled to Soldier Field to face the Chicago Fire in MLS action, seeking to close the gap on Nashville SC in the race for the 2026 Supporters’ Shield. However, Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring for the home side with an acrobatic finish in the 10th minute. Despite testing the defense on multiple long-range efforts, Messi was repeatedly denied by Chicago goalkeeper Chris Brady, who turned aside four shots from the Argentine playmaker throughout the night. However, in the 48th minute, Messi whipped in a corner kick from the left flank, connecting with Casemiro, who rose above his marker to head home the equalizer. Despite the 1-1 draw, Messi’s latest setup officially pushed his career total to 1,350 combined goals and assists. The delivery to Casemiro represented his 423rd career assist, extending his record as the game’s all-time setup leader, alongside 927 official goals across 1,173 appearances for an average of 1.15 goal contributions per match. Casemiro heads it home for the equalizer. 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/7O2wr2cAyz— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 10, 2026 Lionel Messi’s breakdown of goal contributions TeamGamesGoalsAssistsTotal Goal ContributionsBarcelona778672269941Argentina20712565190PSG75323466Inter Miami1139855153TOTAL11739274231,350 How far is Cristiano Ronaldo? Cristiano Ronaldo made headlines earlier in the week after scoring his 979th career goal in Al Nassr’s 2-1 victory over Abha. While the Portuguese star remains closer to reaching the 1,000-goal mark, Messi maintains a clear edge in overall goal contributions. Across stints with Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, Al Nassr, and the Portugal national team, Ronaldo has accumulated 979 goals and 261 assists in 1,335 career appearances. That brings his career tally to 1,240 goal contributions at a rate of 0.93 per match, leaving him 110 behind Messi. During the 2025-26 campaign, Ronaldo captured the Saudi Pro League title with Al Nassr while producing 30 goals and four assists, adding three World Cup goals for Portugal to reach 37 goal contributions. At age 41, and having indicated that the 2026-27 season could mark his final professional campaign, the Portuguese legend faces an insurmountable gap to catch Messi’s total.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr responded to their first defeat of the season in style, beating Abha 2-1 at Al Awwal Park to move level with Al Hilal and Al Qadsiah at the top of the Saudi Pro League standings after six rounds. Ronaldo broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute, rising above his marker […] Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr responded to their first defeat of the season in style, beating Abha 2-1 at Al Awwal Park to move level with Al Hilal and Al Qadsiah at the top of the Saudi Pro League standings after six rounds. Ronaldo broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute, rising above his marker to meet an Angelo corner and powering a header that struck the post before crossing the line, a goal that took his career tally to 979 and kept alive his pursuit of the 1,000-goal milestone. Abdullah Al-Hamdan doubled Al Nassr’s lead in the 58th minute with a right-footed finish into the top corner, capping a dominant display from a home side missing Joao Felix through suspension and Kingsley Coman through injury. Abha refused to fold, and Nabil Fekir gave the visitors hope in the 75th minute, stepping up to a free kick from the left flank and catching goalkeeper Bento off guard by shooting directly on target rather than delivering a cross. Ver esta publicación en Instagram Una publicación compartida por Cristiano Ronaldo (@cristiano) The result lifted Ange Postecoglou’s side level on 15 points with Al Hilal and Al Qadsiah heading into the next round, keeping Al Nassr firmly in the title conversation despite the earlier stumble. Ronaldo climbs into the Saudi Pro League’s scoring picture Ronaldo’s header moved him further up a crowded Golden Boot chase, though Ivan Toney remains well clear at the top. Despite Al Ahli’s 3-2 defeat to Al Qadsiah on Tuesday, Toney scored a brace in the loss, stretching his tally to eight goals and keeping him as the outright leader of the scoring charts. Behind him, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, George Ilenikhena and Iker Kortajarena are tied for second with 4 goals apiece, while Ronaldo’s strike against Abha lifted him into a much larger group tied on 3, that includes Ruben Neves, Tijjani Reijnders, Alexandre Lacazette, Angelo, Darwin Nunez, and Moussa Dembele, among others.
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The Argentine superstar has agreed a deal that could give him control of another Spanish club, adding a new chapter to an increasingly ambitious portfolio that stretches across several countries and even into esports. Lionel Messi is continuing to build a soccer empire away from the pitch, and his latest move has put him on a fascinating collision course with Cristiano Ronaldo. The Argentine superstar has agreed a deal that could give him control of another Spanish club, adding a new chapter to an increasingly ambitious portfolio that stretches across several countries and even into esports. Messi has reached a preliminary agreement to acquire 100% of CD Eldense, a Spanish second-division club based in Elda, near Alicante. The club confirmed the agreement on September 9, 2026, with the transaction still requiring legal procedures, due diligence, and approval from Spain’s High Council for Sports (CSD). According to Reuters, BBC Sport and The Athletic, the deal would see Messi acquire the shares currently held by Colombian investment group TH Soluciones Group. There is currently no fixed completion date, meaning the agreement has yet to become a completed takeover. Eldense is currently competing in the Segunda Division and is positioned near the bottom of the table. If the transaction receives the necessary approvals, Messi would gain control of a club in one of Europe’s most competitive second tiers, giving him another platform for developing young players and building a soccer operation. 🚨 BREAKING: Lionel Messi becomes new owner of La Liga 2 side CD Eldense. 🇪🇸Messi buys 100% of the club’s currently established in La Liga 2 in Spain — follows the investment made in Catalunya side UD Cornellá.🎥➕ https://t.co/TQeEVFTS51 pic.twitter.com/jyhQIOXg9X— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 9, 2026 Messi’s soccer portfolio keeps growing The Eldense agreement would make Eldense the second Spanish soccer club under Messi’s full ownership. Earlier in 2026, he completed the purchase of Catalan side UE Cornella, a club particularly known for its focus on youth development. Messi also has soccer interests outside Spain. He is a co-owner of Uruguayan club Deportivo LSM alongside longtime friend and Inter Miami teammate Luis Suárez, while Argentine club Leones de Rosario FC is a family project administered by his brother Matías Messi. His portfolio also extends beyond traditional soccer. Messi is a co-owner of KRU Esports, the organization founded by Sergio Aguero, and he is expected to receive an equity stake in Inter Miami as part of his playing agreement with the MLS club. #Club / OrganizationCountryMessi’s Involvement1.EldenseSpain100% owner2.CornellaSpain100% owner3.Deportivo LSMUruguayCo-owner4.Leones de Rosario FCArgentinaFamily project5.KRU EsportsArgentinaCo-owner6.Inter MiamiUSAExpected equity stake—FC AndorraAndorraNo confirmed ownership stake There is, however, an important distinction surrounding one frequently mentioned name. Several reports and social media posts have listed FC Andorra among Messi’s clubs, but there is no clear public evidence that Messi owns a stake in the soccer club itself. His family does have business interests in Andorra, including a family office, hotels, and corporate holdings. So, how many clubs does Cristiano Ronaldo own? The comparison with Ronaldo becomes particularly interesting because the Portuguese superstar has also moved into club ownership while continuing his playing career. Ronaldo officially owns a 25% stake in Spanish second-tier club UD Almeria, an investment completed through his CR7 Sports Investments subsidiary. According to the BBC, Ronaldo acquired the Almeria stake in February 2026 and partnered with the club’s majority owners, the Saudi Arabian investment consortium SMC Group. That means Ronaldo currently has one clearly established direct soccer-club ownership stake. Almería’s presence in the same division as Eldense makes the situation even more intriguing. Messi’s potent
With a stunning header in Al Nassr's game against Abha in the SPL, Cristiano Ronaldo scored the 979th goal of his career. Al Nassr hosted Abha on Wednesday for Matchday 6 of the 2026-27 Saudi Pro League season, aiming to bounce back following their first defeat of the campaign. With the scoreline still level in the early stages, Cristiano Ronaldo broke the deadlock with a commanding header. Despite controlling possession and generating the clearest chances against the newly promoted side, Al Nassr initially struggled to turn their dominance into goals. Ronaldo failed to hit the target on his opening two attempts before finally making his mark on the match. In the 22nd minute, Angelo delivered a precise corner kick into the box, allowing Ronaldo to rise above his defender near the six-yard box. Connecting with power, he drove his header into the far post, past the reach of goalkeeper Donovan Leon. هدف! ⚽️كريستيانو رونالدو لا يتأخر طويلًا، ويسجل أول أهداف النصر في شباك أبها 🔥🐐 #النصر_أبها | #دوري_روشن_السعودي pic.twitter.com/0Rym2wHWND— رياضة ثمانية (@thmanyahsports) September 9, 2026 The strike against Abha marked Ronaldo’s third goal through five appearances in the 2026-27 campaign and his 132nd overall in an Al Nassr uniform, demonstrating his ongoing efficiency at age 41. With a final 2-1 result, Al Nassr returned to the top of the standings, level with Al Hilal at 15 points apiece. Ronaldo still closing in on 1,000-goal mark Cristiano Ronaldo made headlines weeks ago by suggesting the 2026-27 campaign could mark his final season as a professional. That admission turned sharp focus toward what the Portuguese legend can accomplish before retiring, with one overarching milestone remaining: reaching 1,000 career official goals. The header against Abha represented the 979th career goal for Ronaldo, leaving him 21 strikes shy of becoming the first player in modern soccer history to reach 1,000 official goals. While a demanding target, his current scoring pace keeps the milestone well within reach over the remainder of the campaign. Averaging 0.60 goals per match with three goals through five appearances for Al Nassr this season, a linear projection indicates Ronaldo would require approximately 35 additional matches to produce the 21 goals needed to reach four digits. Given the volume of fixtures across competitions, Ronaldo will have ample opportunities to close the gap before the end of the 2026-27 campaign. Between SPL, King’s Cup, and AFC Champions League Elite action, Al Nassr have at least 37 scheduled fixtures remaining, complemented by UEFA Nations League fixtures with Portugal that expand his runway beyond 40 matches.
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