Messi Leads Inter Miami to First Campeones Cup Title
Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail
Lionel Messi played a decisive role as Inter Miami defeated Cruz Azul 2-0 to win the 2026 Campeones Cup on Wednesday.
The victory gave Inter Miami its first title in the competition, with Messi scoring the opening goal before helping create the second through a late corner that was headed in by Casemiro.
The annual tournament features the reigning champions of Major League Soccer (MLS) and Mexico’s Liga MX.
Messi Scores 100th Goal for Inter Miami
Inter Miami took the lead in the 24th minute through an unusual but impressive Messi header.
Luis Suarez delivered a cross from the byline, and Messi rose above Willer Ditta to direct a diving header into the net.
The goal marked Messi’s 100th for Inter Miami, adding another milestone to his career with the MLS club.
Suarez nearly helped create another goal before half-time. Messi sent a long pass toward Suarez, who then set up German Berterame, but the resulting effort was cleared from the goal line.
Messi’s Second Goal Ruled Out
Messi appeared to have doubled Inter Miami’s advantage early in the second half after running onto a pass from Suarez and placing the ball inside the post.
However, the goal was ruled out for offside.
Cruz Azul then came close to finding an equalizer in the 67th minute. Substitute Gabriel Fernandez directed a header toward goal, but the ball struck the post. Casemiro subsequently blocked the follow-up attempt.
Casemiro Seals the Victory
Inter Miami eventually secured the result in the 81st minute.
Messi delivered a corner into the penalty area, where Casemiro met the ball with a header and directed it toward the far post to make it 2-0.
Cruz Azul continued looking for a late goal, but Inter Miami goalkeeper Dayne St Clair made another important save to keep his side’s clean sheet.
First Trophy of the Year for Messi
The Campeones Cup triumph gave the 39-year-old Messi his first trophy of 2026.
The title came two months after Argentina suffered defeat to Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
Following the match, Casemiro praised Messi’s continued contribution to football, while Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham also spoke positively about the Argentine star’s chances of receiving further individual recognition.
New Coach Starts With a Trophy
The victory also marked the first competitive game in charge for Inter Miami’s new head coach Cristian “Kily” Gonzalez.
The Argentine manager was appointed last month but had to wait for visa-related procedures before beginning his first training sessions with the squad this week.
The Campeones Cup is played annually between the previous season’s MLS Cup winner and the winner of Mexico’s Campeón de Campeones. The competition is hosted by the MLS participant.
Wednesday’s result ended a run of three consecutive victories by Mexican clubs in the tournament.
Cruz Azul, meanwhile, remain without a Campeones Cup title after suffering another defeat in the competition. The Mexican club had also lost the 2021 final.
