Lionel Messi finally overtaken: Inter Miami captain no longer leads iconic 2025 South American feat

While Lionel Messi's legacy remains untouchable, 2025 has shown that specific metrics can still be overtaken.

Lionel Messi has built an entire career on redefining standards. At 38, the Inter Miami star remains a reference point for excellence, influence, and technical mastery, even as the global game continues to evolve around him. Yet 2025 has delivered a reminder that soccer never stands still. New names emerge, new specialists rise, and even the most established benchmarks can shift — sometimes quietly, sometimes dramatically.