Messi leads Inter Miami to victory in Campeones Cup

Inter Miami's Argentine star Lionel Messi lifted the trophy with his teammates after they beat Mexico's Cruz Azul 2-0 in the Campeones Cup final at Nu Stadium in Miami, Florida, on September 16, 2026.

Messi scored a goal and provided an assist as Inter Miami won the Campeones Cup on Wednesday. They faced Cruz Azul in this annual match between the champions of Major League Soccer and Liga MX.

This was Inter Miami’s first Campeones Cup win. Messi achieved this milestone by scoring his 100th goal for the MLS Cup champions. A late corner from Messi was headed in by Casemiro to confirm the victory.

The win gave 39-year-old Messi his first trophy of the year. This came just two months after losing the 2026 World Cup final to Spain with Argentina.

After the match, Casemiro praised Messi.
"We have to enjoy this because we don’t know how long we’ll have it," said the former Real Madrid player.

"What he has done and continues to do for football is incredible. He remains the best. He proved it at the World Cup and continues to prove it in MLS."

Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham said Messi deserves to win a record-extending ninth Ballon d’Or.
"When you see him do things like this tonight, when you see him have the World Cup that he’s had, there is no one at 39 doing that, and doing it at that level," Beckham said.

"So he deserves to be considered for the Ballon d’Or. In my opinion, he should win it."

Cruz Azul had the first big chance of the match. Jose Paradela’s shot was saved at the near post by Miami goalkeeper Dayne St Clair.

Miami opened the scoring in the 24th minute. The goalscorer was no surprise; Messi scored with a rare header.

Luis Suarez crossed from the byline, and the 5-foot-7 Messi outjumped Willer Ditta with a diving header to give Miami the lead.

Suarez almost created another goal in the 32nd minute. He received a great cross-field ball from Messi and set it up for German Berterame, whose shot was cleared off the line.

Early in the second half, Messi looked set to net his 101st goal for Miami. He raced through one-on-one after a pass from Suarez and hit his shot off the post, but it was ruled offside.

Cruz Azul should have equalized in the 67th minute. Substitute Gabriel Fernandez’s header hit the post, and Casemiro blocked the follow-up attempt.

Another corner from Messi gave Miami a two-goal lead. Casemiro nodded the ball low to the far post in the 81st minute.

St Clair stopped Cruz Azul from getting a late goal. He made a good save from a free kick taken by Paradela.

This trophy win came in the first game for new Inter Miami head coach Cristian "Kily" Gonzalez.

Gonzalez was appointed last month but only started his first training sessions this week due to visa issues.

The Campeones Cup is an annual match between the MLS Cup winner and the winner of Mexico’s Campeon de Campeones.

This was the eighth edition of the cup, which is always held by the MLS team. Mexican teams had won the last three editions before Miami’s victory on Wednesday.

Cruz Azul has still never won the Campeones Cup. They lost the final in 2021.