In the world of Football, reaching the milestone of a thousand goals is a dream shared by many great players, especially strikers. The legendary Pelé was the first to achieve this feat in 1969, earning him the title of King of Football. Today, when we think of who could potentially reach this remarkable milestone in modern football, two names immediately come to mind: Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
These two superstars have dominated the sport for over a decade, constantly pushing each other to new heights. Their rivalry fueled their individual performances and propelled them to destroy numerous records. As they continue to accumulate titles, awards and goals, one question remains unanswered: Who will be the first to achieve a thousand goals?
Let’s dive into the numbers and statistics to analyze how close Ronaldo and Messi are to this extraordinary milestone.
As of November 29, 2024, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored a total of 915 goals in 1,256 matches throughout his career with Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, Al-Nassr (Saudi Arabia) and team Portuguese national. This impressive total gives him an average of 0.72 goals per game.
To reach the magic number of a thousand goals, Ronaldo still needs to score 85 goals. If he maintains his current scoring pace, he would need about 119 more matches to reach this historic milestone.
On the other hand, Lionel Messi has scored 850 goals in his career with FC Barcelona, PSG (Paris Saint-Germain), Argentina national team and Inter Miami CF. In a total of 1,083 appearances on the pitch, Messi averages 0.78 goals per game. Therefore, he is only 150 goals away from joining Pelé in the exclusive club of thousand-goal scorers. If Messi continues at his current pace, he would need around 193 more matches to reach this remarkable achievement.
It is important to note that Ronaldo and Messi are both approaching the twilight of their illustrious careers. The question remains: will one of them, or perhaps both, manage to surpass the thousand goal mark?
Looking at history, we remember the moment when Pelé scored his thousandth career goal. On November 19, 1969, at the age of 29, Pelé converted a penalty against Vasco da Gama in a match at the Maracanã Stadium. This milestone was reached in a match for Taça Roberto Gomes Pedrosa, also known as ‘Robertão’. Throughout his career with Santos (Brazil), New York Cosmos (USA) and the Brazilian national team, Pelé amassed an incredible total of 1,281 goals.
As we look forward to Ronaldo and Messi’s quest for this historic milestone, we can’t help but admire their extraordinary talents and impact on the world of football. These two players shaped an era and left an indelible mark on the sport.
The race for a thousand goals continues, and fans around the world eagerly await to see these two legends etch their names in the record books once again. Only time will tell who will take that step first and etch their name alongside Pelé as one of football’s greatest goalscorers.
