Lionel Messi continues to affirm his legendary status by breaking his own record for the number of goals scored from outside the penalty area in football history. The Argentine star’s latest masterpiece in the match between Inter Miami and Atlanta United yesterday May 30 brought the total number of goals he scored from outside the penalty area to 160.
No player in football history has ever reached this number. Even the world’s top long-range shooting experts cannot come close to Messi’s milestone.
Cristiano Ronaldo is far behind Messi in this parameter. The Portuguese superstar is the highest scorer in world football history but only has 130 goals from shots outside the penalty area.
Ronaldo was once famous for his powerful long shots and free kicks. However, by the end of his career, Messi was the one who scored more goals from outside the penalty area. Notably, the Argentine superstar played up to… 163 fewer matches than his opponent.
If free kicks are eliminated, Messi has 95 goals from long shots with live balls. Meanwhile, Ronaldo only had 68 non-free kick goals out of a total of 130 goals scored from outside the penalty area.
Ronaldo’s most long-range goals in a season is 6 goals. He achieved it in the 2011/12 season. Meanwhile, Messi has achieved or exceeded this number 6 times in the 2009/10 seasons (8 goals), 2010/11 (7 goals), 2012/13 (6 goals), 2013/14 (6 goals). goals), 2016/17 (10 goals) and 2020/21 (6 goals).
By scoring more goals in fewer matches, Messi also has a significantly higher frequency of scoring from outside the penalty area than Ronaldo. On average, every 11 matches, Messi has 1 goal from outside the penalty area, while Ronaldo needs 18 matches.
However, Messi’s extraordinary efforts were not enough to help Inter Miami maintain their incredible unbeaten streak. Despite Messi’s spectacular opening goal from outside the penalty area, Inter Miami could not preserve their advantage and had to accept a 1-3 defeat at home.
Messi’s latest goal is still a dangerous long-range shot, leaving the opponent’s goalkeeper helpless. This is a clear demonstration of the Argentine superstar’s diverse and outstanding goal-scoring ability.
