Messi breaks another record of Ronaldo
Messi's brace from outside the penalty area for Inter Miami on August 6 helped him increase his 2023 record to 21 goals in 29 games, not to mention eight assists. This is the 17th year in a row that Messi has scored more than 20 goals, helping him surpass Ronaldo to set a new record.
Ronaldo scored more than 20 goals for 16 consecutive years, from 2006 to 2021. However, this streak stopped in 2022 when he scored only 16 goals in 46 games.
This year, Messi has scored 21 goals and assisted eight times in 29 games, averaging each game he has scored or assisted. Ronaldo scored 22 goals and assisted twice in 27 matches. The Portuguese superstar's scoring performance is better, with 106 minutes per goal, compared to Messi's 121 minutes per goal.
Of the past 22 years, only eight years Messi has scored more goals than Ronaldo, namely 2009, 2010, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022, partly because he is two years younger. The peak of the Argentine superstar was in 2012 when he scored 91 goals and set a Guinness record. That is also the year the scoring record of the two superstars is the most disparate, with 28 goals in favor of Messi.
Messi shot from afar to open the scoring early, then took a free kick to equalize 4-4 at the end of the match against Dallas in the 1/8 round of the Leagues Cup in the US on August 6. On the penalty shootout, the goal was scored in the first leg, helping the home team win 5-3. This is the first time Messi has won a penalty shootout in his career at a club. Barca or PSG used to win on penalties but at that time he did not play.
The achievement in Texas helps Messi climb to fourth on the list of goalscorers in Inter Miami history even though he has only played four games. With seven goals, the 36-year-old captain is behind Gonzalo Higuain 29, Leonardo Campana 16 and Robert Taylor eight. However, Inter Miami was just established in 2018 and has been playing since 2020.
After the game, 18-year-old midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi praised the captain. "I will never get bored talking about Messi," said the Argentine-American. "Messi always does amazing things that no one expected. Messi scored twice in most games, and hopefully he will help us go far."
The Leagues Cup is an international tournament between the American professional league clubs MLS and the Mexican championship. Miami has reached the quarter-finals of the Leagues Cup and will face Houston Dynamo or Charlotte on August 11 in Florida.
