Lionel Messi scored a brace for Inter Miami in their 3-1 victory over Atlanta United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, bringing his official career goal tally to 936. This performance significantly narrows the gap on Cristiano Ronaldo, who currently stands at 981 goals, as both football legends pursue the unprecedented milestone of 1,000 official goals. In the match, Germán Berterame opened the scoring, while Atlanta United managed a late consolation goal. Messi's two goals also increased his MLS regular season tally to 25. The Argentine captain has scored 40 goals in the 2026 calendar year for club and country, surpassing Ronaldo's 24 goals in the same period, intensifying their long-standing rivalry. The Mercedes-Benz Stadium also holds a special memory for Messi, being the venue where Argentina defeated England 2-1 in the 2026 World Cup semifinal.