Inter Miami lifted the Campeones Cup for the first time in club history following a -0 victory over Mexico’s Cruz Azul—a match defined by Lionel Messi from the opening whistle to the trophy presentation.
The story unfolded in the 24th minute when Messi met a pass from Luis Suárez to score with an uncharacteristic header, before later delivering a corner kick in the 81st minute that set up Casemiro’s decisive second goal.
Beyond securing the title, the opening strike marked Messi’s 100th goal in an Inter Miami shirt. Fittingly, his very first goal for the American club also came against Cruz Azul via his famous free-kick during the 2023 Leagues Cup.
The Argentine icon needed just 114 matches to reach the century mark, becoming the fastest player in MLS club history to score 100 goals across all competitions. Alongside 55 assists, he has accumulated 155 direct goal contributions for the club.
Messi also increased his career tally in final matches to 36 goals, extending his record as the all-time leading scorer in finals after adding Cruz Azul to a long list of decisive performances for Barcelona, Argentina, and Inter Miami.
The Campeones Cup represents Messi’s fifth honor with Inter Miami when including the Eastern Conference title, following the 2023 Leagues Cup, the 2024 Supporters’ Shield, the 2025 Eastern Conference and MLS Cup titles, and the new 2026 trophy.
By this count, Messi has reached 49 career titles, though Major League Soccer official records list it as his 48th, as the league does not classify Eastern Conference titles as standalone major honors—explaining the variation in figures reported across media outlets.
The 39-year-old is enjoying an outstanding domestic campaign, having recorded 19 goals and 13 assists across 22 league appearances to lead the Golden Boot race with 32 direct goal contributions, in addition to his impact across cup competitions.
Inter Miami has now added at least one piece of silverware in every season since Messi’s arrival: the Leagues Cup in 2023, the Supporters’ Shield in 2024, the MLS Cup in 2025, and the Campeones Cup in 2026—with their Argentine captain remaining the driving force behind the most successful era in club history.
