Argentine superstar Lionel Messi scored the 900th goal of his glittering career on Wednesday but could not prevent Inter Miami from crashing out of the CONCACAF Champions Cup on away goals after a 1-1 draw with Nashville.
Messi, 38, scored his milestone goal after just seven minutes to give Miami a 1-0 lead in the second leg of the last 16 of the regional club competition.
But Nashville’s Cristian Espinoza scored the equalizer in the 74th minute to make it 1-1, and after keeping Miami at bay for the remainder of the match, the visitor from Tennessee advanced to the quarterfinals on the away goals rule.
Miami’s departure was a bittersweet end to what promised to be a night of celebration after Messi’s early opener in what was the club’s final match at Fort Lauderdale’s Chase Stadium home.
Messi’s strike took the Argentine’s tally to 81 goals for the MLS champions following his move to Florida in 2023.
The eight-time Ballon D’Or winner previously scored 672 goals for Spanish giants Barcelona, 32 for French side Paris Saint-Germain and a further 115 international goals for Argentina ksha.
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In the build-up to Messi’s 900th goal, Miami manager and former Argentina and Barcelona teammate Javier Mascherano described the star’s goal tally as ‘insane’.
«I have been fortunate enough to see most or many of the goals he has scored, much closer than all of you, and that is a privilege. The number we are talking about (900) is insane, and that is why Leo is one of a kind,» Mascherano said.
A new house soon
Wednesday’s game had added significance for Inter Miami and marked the team’s farewell to Chase Stadium.
The venue has served as the home of Inter Miami since the club joined Major League Soccer in 2020. The team will move to a new purpose-built facility with 26,700 seats next month.
Published on March 19, 2026
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