Le Journal

Al Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo scored a bicycle kick, and the comparison quickly became inevitable: how many goals has Lionel Messi scored in that fashion? Al Nassr faced Al Khaleej and secured a convincing 4–1 victory, but the moment that stole the spotlight came in the closing minutes, when Cristiano Ronaldo scored a stunning bicycle kick. After the goal went viral, the inevitable comparison resurfaced immediately: How many bicycle kicks has Lionel Messi scored in his career? Cristiano Ronaldo delivered another moment of brilliance in the Saudi Pro League, scoring a spectacular overhead kick in the 90’+6’ to close out Al Nassr’s win. With this acrobatic strike, Ronaldo recorded the third bicycle kick goal of his career, while Lionel Messi has only one goal of this kind to his name. Ronaldo’s first bicycle kick came during his time at Real Madrid in the first leg of the 2018 UEFA Champions League quarterfinals against Juventus. Real Madrid went on to win the match 3–0, with Ronaldo’s iconic finish assisted by Dani Carvajal. His second came earlier this year with the Portugal national team in a 5–1 win over Poland. Beyond the bicycle kick, Ronaldo scored a brace that night, once again showcasing the quality, longevity, and power that have defined his career at every stage. Still, his most mythical overhead kick remains the one he scored against Juventus in that 2018 Champions League matchup. Cristiano Ronaldo of Al-Nassr. When was Messi’s only bicycle kick goal? Even though Lionel Messi ranks as the second-highest scorer in history, trailing only Ronaldo, the Argentine superstar has scored just one bicycle kick in his career. Messi’s lone overhead kick came during his time with Paris Saint-Germain, in a 5–0 win over Clermont in Ligue 1. The goal arrived on the opening weekend of the season—a perfectly executed acrobatic finish that capped PSG’s dominant performance and marked the first and only bicycle kick of Messi’s career. Of course, while it would be an added bonus for Messi to have more goals of this style, it hardly diminishes his legacy. His trademark goals—dribbling through tight spaces, eliminating entire defenses, and creating magic where none exists—are already more than enough. The same can be said for Ronaldo, whose career has been filled with spectacular finishes of every variety. As the debate between these two soccer icons continues, Ronaldo’s ability to deliver highlight-reel moments like this latest bicycle kick only adds another layer to his already legendary career.

Following a superb outing during Inter Miami’s 4-0 win over FC Cincinnati, Lionel Messi took to his social media with a powerful message. Lionel Messi was the man of the hour as Inter Miami CF knocked FC Cincinnati out of the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs. After his commanding performance in the 4-0 victory, Messi reacted to his outing with a straightforward message on his social media. As if soccer fans across the globe haven’t grown accustomed to it by now, Lionel Messi delivered another unstoppable night in the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs. With a ticket to the Eastern Conference Final on the line, the 38-year-old star turned back the clock, putting on a vintage performance for Inter Miami. Following the game, Messi posted a clear reminder for both his teammates and the fanbase: the job is far from finished. The Herons will head into the Eastern Conference Final in sky-high spirits, but they know the mission is still ahead. “Let’s go! Great match from the whole team against an opponent that had always been very tough for us,” Lionel Messi wrote on an Instagram post after the 4-0 victory. “One more step…” Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF reacts. Messi’s night Not only did Messi score a header to open the scoring against FC Cincinnati, he made sure to put the final nail in the coffin for the Grays, who were blown out of the water at home in The Queen City. Since joining the club in Fort Lauderdale, Messi’s Herons had never beaten FC Cincinnati, nor had Messi scored against them. However, in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Messi and company slayed their ghosts from the past in statement fashion. Messi scored the game-winning goal and was directly involved on every score of the night. Finishing the night with a goal and three assists, Messi proved no climb is too steep, nor distance too far for him to lead Inter Miami. Now, the Herons will be playing for the Eastern Conference Championship. Fans are still waiting to learn who Messi and Inter Miami will be playing next in the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs. It will be one of No. 1 Philadelphia Union or No. 5 New York City FC. Inter Miami can dream thanks to Messi With Messi defying Father Time and playing in red-hot form, the Herons have every reason to believe they can hoist the first MLS Cup trophy in club history. He already carried them to a Leagues Cup title, but winning the league would elevate Inter Miami to an entirely different tier among MLS clubs.

Inter Miami defeated FC Cincinnati in the 2025 MLS Eastern Conference semifinal, with Lionel Messi delivering a masterclass by producing a hat-trick of assists in the decisive win. Check out here the highlights and goals. Inter Miami delivered a statement performance against FC Cincinnati in the 2025 MLS Eastern Conference semifinal, with Lionel Messi once again shaping the narrative on a decisive postseason night. Miami controlled the key moments from start to finish, turning their composure in possession and Messi’s creativity into a commanding victory that pushes them one step closer to the 2025 MLS Cup. With this result, Inter Miami qualified for the Eastern Conference final, where they will wait for the winner of the Philadelphia Union vs. New York City matchup. The visitors dictated the tempo early, stretching Cincinnati’s back line and finding pockets of space that repeatedly opened lanes into the final third. Miami’s midfield moved the ball with purpose, and every time Messi drifted between lines, Cincinnati were forced to adjust. That tactical imbalance grew more evident as the match progressed, allowing Miami to create cleaner chances while Cincinnati struggled to generate consistent danger in transition. By the closing stages, Miami were firmly in control, protecting their lead with maturity and forcing Cincinnati to chase a game that had already tilted out of reach. Messi’s hat-trick of assists underscored his role as the match’s defining figure, elevating Miami’s collective performance and setting the tone for what could be a deep postseason run. Miami head to the conference final with confidence, while Cincinnati face a tough end to an otherwise strong campaign.

After the 6-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice made a strong observation for Brad Marchand and company to listen to. Brad Marchand and the Florida Panthers know they are failing to meet expectations in the 2025-26 NHL season. Obviously, missing key pieces to long-term injuries is far from ideal, but Paul Maurice still wants better from his side. Following the 6-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers, the two-time Stanley Cup-winning head coach sent his team a strong message. Good times seem to fade away in an eyeblink for Marchand and the Panthers in the current NHL season. Just when the Cats had strung together consecutive wins, a tough loss to the Oilers rained down on their parade. Following the defeat on home ice, Maurice didn’t sugarcoat his thoughts on the performance. “It certainly was not a defensive struggle out there. It was a struggle at times, but not defensively,” Maurice admitted, via Jameson Olive and NHL.com. “They had the lead. “They were able to protect a little bit and we had the chance to push a little bit hard. Shots were [13-8] for them in the first period, but we missed the net 13 times. We were in the right end and generating enough but just gave up too much.” Paul Maurice at Amerant Bank Arena on October 07, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida. Panthers should be scoring more Two things can be true. Marchand is playing some of the best hockey of his NHL career, yet the Panthers’ offense has been underwhelming. The 37-year-old came just shy of matching his career-best point streak of 13 games—he hit 11 straight this season—but the rest of the team has struggled to put the puck in the net. According to data from MoneyPuck.com, the Panthers register the sixth-worst goals scored above expected mark in the league (minus 12.36). This means the Panthers should have scored roughly 12 more goals this season — 73 tallies, instead of their 61 goals so far in the season. Moreover, Florida has the fifth-worst shooting percentage — 4.59% — in all attempts. Thus, the data supports and confirms what every fan at Amerant Bank Arena has seen all season long. In more ways than one, the Panthers are shooting themselves in the foot and setting themselves up for failure with their lack of efficiency.