Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo closing in on 1000 goals combined
Thursday 16 April 2020 14:38, UK
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have made a habit of breaking records, and they are on the brink of another remarkable goal-scoring landmark.
If Messi scores in Barcelona's Copa del Rey quarter-final against Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday, he will take a combined goal tally with Ronaldo to 1,000 goals for club and country.
Since scoring his first Barcelona goal as a late substitute in a 2-0 win over Albacete in May 2005, Messi has hit 481 overall - including 49 for Argentina.
And the Argentine will fancy his chances of adding to his tally at the Camp Nou on Wednesday having scored in each of his last two appearances - including a 6-0 win over the Basque side in La Liga just two weeks ago.
Ronaldo's scoring feats, meanwhile, date back to his Sporting Lisbon breakthrough in October 2002. In total, the Real Madrid forward has smashed 518 career goals - including 118 in six seasons at Manchester United before his move to the Bernabeu in 2009.
As the devastating duo close in on No 1,000, we break down the numbers behind their astonishing goal records…
