Messi adds to header tally but Ronaldo still reigns in the air

Lionel Messi's latest brace carried the usual brilliance but it was the unusual part of it -- a rare header -- that drew the biggest reaction as Inter Miami beat Nashville SC 3-1 in the opening game of their MLS playoff series in Fort Lauderdale on Friday.

At 38, Messi continues to stretch the limits of longevity, turning every strike into a reminder of his enduring genius. Yet when he scores with his head, the football world takes special notice, not just for the rarity of it but for what it reignites -- the eternal comparison with Cristiano Ronaldo.

The opener came in the 19th minute after a slick exchange with former Barcelona teammate Luis Suárez. The Uruguayan floated in a measured lobbed cross and Messi arrived right on cue to nod home the 29th headed goal of his career.

Of those, two came for Argentina and 27 at club level, 24 during his 17 glittering years with Barcelona. The first was against Real Zaragoza in 2006, and the last, against Celta Vigo in 2021. His most iconic header, though, remains the one that sealed Barcelona's Champions League triumph in 2009 -- fittingly, against Ronaldo's Manchester United.

Messi scored none with PSG but since joining Inter Miami, he has rediscovered the skill, netting three -- against Orlando City, Atlanta United, and now Nashville SC.

Ronaldo, meanwhile, has long reigned supreme in the air. Across his 23-year career, the Portuguese star has scored an astonishing 152 headed goals -- more than five times Messi's tally. His breakdown is as staggering as it is consistent: 23 for Manchester United, 70 for Real Madrid, 16 with Juventus, 12 for Al Nassr, 28 for Portugal, and even one for Sporting CP.

Headers make up 16.02 percent of Ronaldo's 949 goals. For Messi, they account for just 3.25 percent of his 891.