Lionel Messi Nears Historic 850-Goal Milestone: How Many More Goals Does He Need?

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Lionel Messi is on the verge of another historic milestone, needing just four more goals to reach the 850-goal mark in his illustrious career. Messi's latest hat-trick for Argentina against Bolivia in a World Cup qualifiers game has brought his tally to a total of 846 goals.

Among those, he has netted 734 goals at the club level and 112 goals in international matches for Argentina. After returning from an ankle injury sustained during the Copa America earlier this year, Messi made a spectacular comeback with this hat-trick on October 16.

Messi's quest for the 850-goal milestone could conclude as soon as the end of October. On October 20, he is set to return to the United States to play in the last MLS 2024 regular season match for Inter Miami against New England. If Messi scores four goals in this game, he will achieve the milestone.

However, even if he falls short, Messi will likely have another opportunity. Inter Miami, currently leading the MLS Eastern Conference, have already secured a spot in the playoffs. The Best-of-3 Series stage begins on October 25, providing Messi with the possibility of at least one more match this month.

His latest three goals against Bolivia also marked his 10th international hat-trick, further solidifying his place as one of the greatest scorers in football history. Currently, the 37-year-old is second only to Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, who has 133 international goals.

In addition to his remarkable scoring tally, Messi has also contributed an astounding 377 assists, giving him a total of 1,223 goal contributions - the most by any player in football's 152-year history. As Messi approaches 850 career goals, his legacy continues to grow.

Already, he holds the record for the most goal contributions in football history and remains a dominant force at both the club and international levels. All eyes will be on him as he inches closer to another iconic moment in his legendary career.