Messi Reaches 930 Career Goals in Miami Draw

MIAMI — Lionel Messi reached 930 official career goals on Sunday night after scoring a direct free-kick for Inter Miami against San Diego FC in Major League Soccer, although the milestone came in a 2-2 draw that saw San Diego recover a point late in the match.

San Diego took the lead in the 12th minute when Danish forward Anders Dreyer finished a through ball from Jeppe Tverskov, but Messi responded 12 minutes later with a trademark free-kick from just outside the penalty area.

The Argentine curled the ball around the defensive wall and into the net, with the effort striking the post before crossing the line. The goal was Messi's 20th in MLS during the 2026 season and his 75th direct free-kick goal across his professional career.

The strike also moved Messi's Inter Miami tally to 101 goals, only four days after he had reached the 100-goal mark for the club during its Campeones Cup victory over Cruz Azul.

Inter Miami subsequently took the lead in the 74th minute when Luis Suárez scored, putting the home side in position to claim another victory.

San Diego, however, refused to surrender. Dreyer scored his second goal of the night in the 82nd minute to bring the match level at 2-2 and secure a point for the visitors.

The result extended Inter Miami's run of consecutive MLS draws to four. The club's league record stood at 12 wins, four defeats and 10 draws for 46 points after the match.

For Messi, the result was overshadowed by another individual milestone. At 39, the Argentine remains one of the most productive scorers in the sport and continues to add to a career total that has already placed him among the most prolific players in football history.

The latest goal also highlighted Messi's continuing influence from set pieces. His ability to score directly from free-kicks remains an important part of his attacking contribution as he enters the later stages of his career.

Inter Miami will now turn its attention to the remainder of its MLS campaign as it attempts to strengthen its position in the league while managing the demands of a long season.