Messi scores his 100th goal for Inter Miami and leads them to the Champions Cup title

Argentine star Lionel Messi scored his 100th goal for Inter Miami, leading the team to a 2-0 victory over visiting Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup on Wednesday, in the annual showdown between the champions of Major League Soccer and Mexico’s Liga MX.

Messi opened the scoring in the 29th minute with a header, bringing his tally to 100 goals in 115 matches across all competitions since joining Inter Miami in 2023 from French club Paris Saint-Germain. He then delivered a decisive assist from a corner kick, which new signing Brazilian Casemiro headed into the net in the 81st minute.

The 39-year-old Messi claimed his first title of the year, two months after his national team suffered a 0-1 extra-time defeat to Spain in the Concacaf Nations League final.

Casemiro, the former Real Madrid and Manchester United midfielder, praised his teammate Messi, saying, “We have to enjoy him because we don’t know how long he will last” in the game.

He added, “What he has done and continues to do for football is incredible… He remains the best. He proved it at the World Cup, and he continues to prove it in Major League Soccer.”

For his part, former England international David Beckham, a co-founder of Inter Miami, said Messi deserves to win the Ballon d’Or for the ninth time in his career, further extending his record, after entering the race this year thanks to his stellar World Cup performance, in which he scored eight goals.

He added, “When you see him achieve such feats tonight, when you see how he played at the World Cup… there is no player aged 39 delivering such performance at such a level.”

Messi announced his international retirement at the end of August, and will play his final match for the “Albiceleste” on October 6 in the capital, Buenos Aires.

Cruz Azul’s first real chance came when Canadian goalkeeper Dane Saint-Claire saved a shot by Argentine Jose Barrera at the near post.

Messi broke the deadlock following a pass from Uruguayan Luis Suarez, his former teammate at Spanish club Barcelona. The “Little Flea” rose above Colombian defender Yela Dita and headed the ball into the net in the 24th minute.

Suarez also played a pass to Mexican German Berterame, whose low shot was cleared off the line by the goalkeeper in the 32nd minute.

Early in the second half, Messi broke away one-on-one after a through ball from Suarez. His shot hit the post and went into the net, but the referee disallowed the goal for offside.

Cruz Azul came close to equalizing, but a header from substitute Uruguayan Gabriel Fernandez struck the post in the 67th minute.

Messi delivered a precise corner kick into the box, which Casemiro headed low into the far corner with nine minutes remaining in regular time.

Saint-Claire saved his team from a late consolation goal for Cruz Azul, brilliantly parrying a free kick taken by Barrera.

Inter Miami’s first-ever Leagues Cup title came in the first match of new Argentine manager Cristian “Kili” Gonzalez, who was appointed last month but only began his duties this week due to a delay in obtaining his visa.

This was the eighth edition of the Leagues Cup, which has always been hosted by American teams. Mexican clubs won the last three editions before Miami’s victory.

Cruz Azul, a giant of Mexican football, remains unable to win the Leagues Cup, having also lost the final in 2021.