Lionel Messi reached 936 career goals at age 39 following his two-goal performance in Inter Miami’s 3–1 victory over Atlanta United. This prompts comparisons with Cristiano Ronaldo's goal tally at the same age. Messi and Ronaldo are celebrated as two of the greatest soccer players in history, and their careers continue to fascinate fans wondering how they will ultimately unfold.
Read More
As of February 5, 2024, when he turned 39, Cristiano Ronaldo had scored 873 official career goals across 1,204 appearances. By the time he celebrated his 40th birthday on February 5, 2025, Ronaldo increased his total to 923 career goals in 1,254 matches after netting 50 goals during that year.
Messi, who turned 39 on June 24, 2026, started with 916 career goals, closely matching Ronaldo’s tally as he approached his 40th birthday. Since then, he has added 20 more goals, bringing his total to 936, with several months and numerous matches still ahead before he turns 40.
A significant factor in their goal accumulation is their international commitments. Messi has retired from international play, limiting his opportunities to add to his goal tally through national team fixtures; he will focus solely on domestic and continental competitions with Inter Miami.
Cristiano Ronaldo is currently just 19 goals away from achieving the 1,000-goal milestone, and he is expected to reach it, depending on how much longer he continues to play. While Messi is further behind Ronaldo in total goals at present, he is over two years younger and boasts a higher goals-per-game ratio, keeping the competition to 1,000 career goals very much alive.