Major League Soccer continues to witness the Lionel Messi phenomenon. On Saturday, the Argentinian Maestro again turned out to be decisive and orchestrated a crucial victory for Inter Miami on the New York Red Bulls in their pursuit of the supporters's shield. Messi did not lead alone; He has completely stolen the show.
With another brace and an assist, Messi added to his incredible form of shape. He has now included six brackets in the last seven games of Inter Miami – Only the recent match against Cincinnati did not see him score.
His latest heroic deeds not only keep him on top of the MLS Golden Boot Race next to Sam Surridge, but also helped him to surpass a milestone – this time his eternal rival, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Thanks to his two goals against the Red Bulls, Messi has now scored 764 goals with the exception of fines, in which Ronaldo's count of 763 caught up. Before this match, Ronaldo gave a slender lead through two goals, but Messi's Brace tilted the scales to his advantage.
Of course the rivalry is not nearly over yet. Ronaldo continues to score regularly for Al Nassr in Saudi Aarabia and will be happy to reclaim his lead. Nevertheless, this specific record goals adds scored from open play or non-penalty situations and another chapter to their legendary competition, which remains intense despite the fact that both players are well in the thirty.
And although Messi's lead can only be a single goal, there is a deeper stat that underlines its sparkle. Messi has scored his 764 non-Penalty goals in just 1,113 games. Compared 763, Ronaldo achieved in 1,281 games – a stunning difference of 168 competitions, which emphasizes the efficiency and consistency of the Argentinian world cup winner.