Lionel Messi scores 500th career league goal in big Inter Miami win

Messi went into Saturday's contest with 498 league goals after he scored a late equaliser in Inter Miami's recent draw with LA Galaxy.

Luis Suarez got his side off to the perfect start, netting a brace inside the opening 11 minutes against Orlando at Chase Stadium.

Robert Taylor added another in the 29th minute, before Messi put the ball in from close range after Robin Jansson desperately cleared it against his own crossbar.

Messi then produced a clinical header from Suarez's lofted cross to wrap up a 5-0 win and reach 500 career league goals.

The Argentine's second effort also represented his first headed goal since nodding home in Barcelona's 2-1 defeat to Celta Vigo in May 2021

Incidentally, the 36-year-old registered his 500th league goal just over a year after his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo achieved the same feat.

However, Messi managed to reach the landmark in fewer games, scoring 500 league goals in 587 matches compared to Ronaldo who hit the milestone in 657 games.

The World Cup winner registered the majority of those goals during his long association with Catalan giants Barcelona.

Messi racked up 474 goals in 520 La Liga appearances before he swapped Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2021.

The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner went on to score 22 times in 58 Ligue 1 games during his two-year stay in the French capital.

Although he joined Inter Miami last summer, Messi's made a greater contribution to the club's Leagues Cup campaign than the 2023 MLS season, scoring 10 of his 11 goals in the cup competition to help the franchise claim their first piece of silverware.

However, he has made a positive start to the 2024 MLs campaign, scoring three goals and providing one assist in the opening three matches.

Messi could have the chance to score in another competition on Thursday evening when Tata Martino's side travel to Nashville for the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League last-16 tie.