Messi Scores 100th Inter Miami Goal as Club Win Campeones Cup for His 49th Trophy

Lionel Messi reached another remarkable milestone as Inter Miami lifted the Campeones Cup. The Argentine superstar scored his 100th goal for the club before Miami defeated Mexico’s Cruz Azul 2-0 on home soil to claim the trophy.

The Campeones Cup has been held since 2018, bringing together the champions of Major League Soccer and Mexico’s Liga MX. This year’s edition also marked the first match for Inter Miami under new head coach Cristian “Kily” González, and the Argentine manager began his tenure with silverware.

Messi opened the scoring in the 24th minute with a spectacular header. Receiving a cross from Luis Suárez, Messi rose above his marker and produced a powerful header to put Miami in front.

The goal was particularly significant because it took Messi to 100 goals for Inter Miami. While the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has scored countless goals throughout his career, a header is not among the methods most commonly associated with his scoring.

Inter Miami doubled their advantage in the 81st minute through Casemiro. The Brazilian midfielder headed home from a corner delivered by Messi, marking the third time in the last four matches that Casemiro has scored a header from one of Messi’s corners.

After the match, González revealed that Messi had promised to welcome him to the club with a trophy.

“Leo told me that we would start as champions, and he made it happen.”

González said the victory would provide a major boost to the team’s confidence, while emphasizing that the trophy should be viewed as another step rather than the final destination.

Messi joined Inter Miami in 2023 after leaving Paris Saint-Germain and has since become a central figure in the club’s rise. His 100 goals for Miami have come across several competitions, including 76 in MLS, 14 in the Leagues Cup, eight in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, and one each in the FIFA Club World Cup and Campeones Cup.

The Campeones Cup triumph also took Messi’s career trophy tally to 49. For Inter Miami, meanwhile, the victory provided an ideal start to the González era.