Leo Messi. The name alone carries the weight of a thousand highlights. But if you’re here, you’re looking for the hard numbers. As of early 2026, the soccer world is still obsessively tracking every touch he takes in South Florida. People love to argue about the "GOAT" status, but numbers don't really care about opinions.
Honestly, the count is staggering.
Lionel Messi has scored 896 official goals for club and country throughout his professional career.
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He’s currently sitting just four goals shy of that mythical 900 mark. It’s a number that felt impossible twenty years ago. Most players are lucky to get 900 appearances, let alone 900 times wheeling away in celebration. You've probably seen conflicting numbers on social media, but that’s usually because people confuse "official" goals with friendlies or youth-level stats.
Breaking Down the 896 Goals
If you want to understand how he got here, you have to look at the different "lives" Messi has lived on the pitch. It wasn't just one long run; it was a series of evolutions.
The Barcelona Years (The Core 672)
Most of the damage was done in Spain. This is where he became a god-tier finisher. At FC Barcelona, Messi netted 672 goals in 778 appearances.
- La Liga: 474 goals (the all-time record).
- Champions League: 120 goals for the Blaugrana.
- Copa del Rey: 56 goals.
Think about that. He averaged nearly a goal every single time he stepped on the grass for over fifteen years. It's ridiculous. The 2011-12 season remains the peak of human footballing performance, where he scored 73 goals in a single campaign. Seventy-three. Most strikers would take a decade to hit that.
The Paris and Miami Chapters
After the emotional exit from Spain, the scoring didn't stop, though the role changed.
In Paris, with PSG, he added 32 goals to the tally. It wasn't the goal-per-game madness of his youth, but he was 34 and playing with Mbappe and Neymar.
Then came the MLS.
Inter Miami has been a scoring playground for him. Currently, his Inter Miami total stands at 77 goals. This includes his heroics in the Leagues Cup and the MLS Cup Playoffs. People say the MLS is "easier," but you still have to put the ball in the net, and he’s doing it with a frequency that suggests he’s still got plenty left in the tank.
International Glory: Argentina’s All-Time King
For a long time, the "but he hasn't done it for Argentina" crowd was loud. Then 2021 and 2022 happened.
Messi has scored 115 goals for Argentina in 196 appearances.
He’s not just the top scorer for his country; he’s the highest-scoring South American male in history, having long since passed Pele’s 77.
- World Cup Goals: 13 (a record for Argentina).
- Copa América: 14 goals.
- World Cup Qualifiers: 36 goals.
- Friendlies: 52 goals.
It’s the 13 World Cup goals that carry the most weight. Leading his team to the trophy in Qatar while scoring seven times in that tournament alone basically ended the "greatest ever" debate for a lot of folks.
The Chase for 900
So, how many goals does Messi have in total right now? 896.
Cristiano Ronaldo is still ahead of him in the total count, currently sitting at 959. But Messi’s goals-per-game ratio is actually higher. He reaches these milestones in fewer matches.
Why the numbers vary
You might see 787 goals on some sites and 896 on others. Why?
- Youth stats: Some people count his 6 goals for Barcelona B.
- Exhibitions: Unofficial friendlies (like those preseason tours in Asia) don't count toward the 896.
- National Team Levels: Goals for the U-20 or Olympic team (like the ones in Beijing 2008) are not included in the senior professional tally.
Basically, if it wasn't a senior competitive match or a FIFA-recognized international friendly, it doesn't count for the record books.
What’s Next for the Tally?
Messi is still active. He’s healthy. He’s playing in a league where he is clearly the dominant force. With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, he’s not just playing for fun; he’s maintaining a level.
If he maintains his current pace of roughly 0.8 to 0.9 goals per game in the MLS, he will hit the 900-goal mark very soon—likely within the next few months of the 2026 season. After that, the gap between him and Ronaldo becomes the only story left.
Actionable Insights for Fans
- Track the Live Stats: Use specialized sites like messivsronaldo.app for real-time updates after every game.
- Watch the MLS Schedule: Inter Miami’s upcoming league matches are the most likely place for him to hit 900.
- Verify the Source: When you see a "new record" on social media, check if they are including youth goals or friendly matches, as these often inflate the numbers.
The 900-goal club is a very lonely place. Currently, it's a club with only one member. Messi is standing at the door, ready to walk in.