Messi scores 100th Miami goal as Inter win Campeones Cup

Messi opened the scoring at Nu Stadium after Luis Suárez produced a perfectly weighted cross from the right.

The Argentine rose above his marker and headed the ball beyond the goalkeeper to reach 100 goals for Inter Miami in all competitions.

It was a particularly significant milestone given how quickly Messi reached the figure.

The 39-year-old achieved 100 goals for Miami in just 115 appearances, the quickest he has reached a century for any team he has represented.

For comparison, Messi needed 188 games to score his first 100 goals for Barcelona and 174 appearances to reach the same mark for Argentina.

Since joining Inter Miami in 2023, Messi has scored 76 goals in MLS, 14 in Leagues Cup matches, eight in the Concacaf Champions Cup and one at the FIFA Club World Cup, alongside the latest Campeones Cup goal.

Casemiro seals Inter Miami trophy

Messi appeared to have doubled Miami's lead when he raced through and finished, but the goal was ruled out for offside. The Argentine would still have a direct involvement in the decisive second goal.

In the 81st minute, Messi delivered a corner that was met by Casemiro, with the former Real Madrid and Manchester United midfielder rising to head the ball into the net. The goal put Miami 2–0 ahead and secured the trophy.

Casemiro praised Messi's continued impact after the match.

"We have to enjoy this because we don't know how long we'll have it," he said. "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."

González wins trophy in first Miami match

The Campeones Cup victory gave González an immediate piece of silverware in his first game as Inter Miami head coach. González had only arrived in Miami from Argentina earlier on Tuesday and led his first training session before taking charge against Cruz Azul.

Inter Miami had reached an agreement with González on August 27 to replace interim coach Guillermo Hoyos, but his official arrival had been delayed while he waited for his work permit. The new coach said Messi had told him he would become a champion.

"Leo [Messi] told me I was going to become a champion, and he made it happen," González said.

He added that winning the trophy would provide the team with a significant morale boost while stressing that Miami still had to keep moving forward.

Messi’s Miami legacy continues

Messi has made an immediate impact since moving to South Florida in 2023. He led Inter Miami to the 2023 Leagues Cup title just weeks after making his debut against Cruz Azul, the same club against which he scored his first goal for Miami.

He subsequently helped the Herons win the 2024 Supporters' Shield, with Miami setting an MLS record for 74 points in a season.

Messi also played a major role during Miami's run to the 2025 MLS Cup title The latest victory adds another trophy to his Miami career while taking his club-and-country goal tally to 929.

Messi is also leading MLS in 2026, with 19 goals in 22 games so far this season.

Beckham backs Messi for Ballon d’Or

Inter Miami co-owner and former England captain David Beckham has also backed Messi to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or.

Messi is among the 30 nominees for this year's award after scoring eight goals and providing four assists as Argentina reached the 2026 World Cup final, where they lost to Spain.

"When you see him do things like this, when you see him have the World Cup that he's had, there is no one at 39 that's doing that, and doing it at that level," Beckham said.

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

The award, created by France Football in 1956, will be presented at a ceremony in London on October 26.

Messi’s remarkable 2026 continues

Messi's latest milestone comes after another notable World Cup campaign with Argentina. He scored eight goals during the tournament and helped his country reach the final against Spain.

Messi also took his World Cup assists tally to 12, including 10 in knockout-stage matches. According to the supplied report, no other player on record has more than eight total World Cup assists.

He now has 21 World Cup goals, putting him second on the all-time list behind Kylian Mbappe's 22. The latest chapter came in Miami, where his 100th goal for the club helped secure another trophy.

At 39, Messi continues to combine individual milestones with silverware, and his latest achievement arrived on a night when Inter Miami also welcomed a new era under González.

SportsLigue