Messi moves closer to Ronaldo’s career goals total after brace in Inter Miami win

Lionel Messi continued his relentless march toward football immortality with a decisive brace, leading Inter Miami CF to an entertaining 3-2 victory over the Colorado Rapids.

The result not only secured three valuable points but also brought the Argentine legend one step closer to the towering career goal tally of Cristiano Ronaldo.

In front of a massive crowd at Empower Field, Messi once again proved why he remains one of the most decisive players in world football. The Argentine captain opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 18th minute, calmly slotting home to give his side an early advantage.

Inter Miami doubled their lead just before halftime through Germán Berterame, finishing off a slick attacking move. However, the hosts responded after the break, with Rafael Navarro and Darren Yapi scoring in quick succession to level the contest and inject tension into the match.

But when the pressure peaked, Messi stepped up again. In the 79th minute, he produced a moment of magic, cutting in from the right before curling a stunning effort into the top corner to restore Inter Miami’s lead. It was a goal that not only sealed the win but underlined his enduring class.

The victory extended Inter Miami’s unbeaten run to seven matches and reinforced their impressive away form this season.

Messi’s brace took his astonishing career tally to 905 goals, further cementing his place among football’s greatest-ever scorers.

While still trailing Ronaldo’s remarkable 968 goals, the gap continues to narrow as the Argentine shows no signs of slowing down.

With each goal, and club purchase, the long-standing rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo gains another chapter.

And while the Portuguese star still leads the race, performances like this suggest that Messi is determined to keep the chase alive for as long as possible.