Scaloni Believes Messi Can Achieve Legendary 1,000-Goal Milestone

Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni has expressed strong confidence that team captain Lionel Messi can reach the historic milestone of 1,000 career goals before retiring from professional football. The coach's comments came after Argentina's resounding 5-0 victory over Zambia at La Bombonera, where Messi added another goal to his impressive tally.

The Path to 1,000 Goals

With his recent goal against Zambia, Messi now stands at 902 career goals, having recently celebrated his 900th goal during the second leg of the Round of 16 of the CONCACAF Champions Cup against Nashville SC at Chase Stadium. This achievement places him alongside Cristiano Ronaldo (965) as one of only two players in soccer history to reach this remarkable milestone.

Scaloni's optimism about Messi reaching 1,000 goals is based on the Argentine captain's continued high-level performance and scoring ability. "He could reach 1,000 goals—we'll have to see how much longer he keeps playing. The point is, he has to want to keep going. I hope he does, because he's happy on the field and we all want to see him play," Scaloni stated.

The coach highlighted Messi's incredible scoring capabilities by noting, "He scored more than 90 goals in one season; he can do it." This reference points to Messi's historic 2012 season when he scored an astonishing 91 goals for club and country.

Breaking Down Messi's Goal Tally

Messi's journey to nearly 1,000 goals has been spread across his illustrious career:

• Barcelona: 672 goals during his legendary tenure with the Catalan club
• Paris Saint-Germain: 32 goals during his time in France
• Inter Miami: 82 goals since joining the MLS side
• Argentina National Team: 116 goals for his country

At 38 years old, Messi hasn't officially confirmed his participation in the 2026 World Cup, stating that everything will depend on how his body responds in the coming months. However, his recent contract extension with Inter Miami through December 2028 gives fans hope that they'll see him play for at least a few more years, extending his timeline for reaching this legendary milestone.

World Cup Preparation and Future Plans

The match against Zambia was likely the last game Argentina will play on home soil before the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19. Argentina arrives as defending champions and has been placed in Group J, where they will face Algeria, Austria, and Jordan.

While the match marked a farewell for Nicolás Otamendi, who announced he will retire from the Argentine national team after the tournament, it also potentially represented Messi's last game with the team before soccer's biggest tournament.

Scaloni's words come at a crucial time when Messi's future is once again up for debate, especially with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon and retirement drawing ever closer. The coach's confidence reflects not just Messi's statistical achievements but also his enduring passion for the game.

For now, Inter Miami will host Austin at Nu Stadium on Saturday, June 4, and RB New York on June 11 for MLS action, providing Messi with more opportunities to add to his goal tally as he continues his pursuit of football immortality.