Lionel Messi has reached a career milestone of 404 assists, cementing his status as one of football’s all-time greats. The 38-year-old Argentine achieved the feat after providing three key passes in Inter Miami’s 4–0 victory over FC Cincinnati in the 2025 MLS Playoffs quarterfinal.

Messi reached this mark in just 1,135 matches — a tally unmatched by any other active player. To put it in perspective, Cristiano Ronaldo has 259 career assists. With 404 assists, Messi now shares the world record with legendary Hungarian striker Ferenc Puskás. While some of Puskás’ assists lack full historical documentation, every one of Messi’s assists is officially verified, giving his record unprecedented credibility.

Combined with his goal-scoring exploits, Messi has now been directly involved in 1,300 career goals — a figure that firmly establishes him as arguably the greatest offensive player in football history.