Messi scored his 100th goal for Miami

Argentine star Lionel Messi scored his 100th goal for Inter Miami, leading the club to a 2-0 victory over visiting Cruz Azul in the Champions Cup, the annual showdown between the champions of the U.S. and Mexican leagues, held the day before yesterday. Messi opened the scoring in the 29th minute with a header, bringing his total 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 cross from a corner, which new signing Brazilian Casemiro headed into the net in the 81st minute.

At 39 years old, Messi claimed his first title of the year, just two months after his national team’s 0-1 extra-time defeat to Spain in the final of the North American World Cup. Casemiro, the former midfielder for Real Madrid and Manchester United, praised his teammate, saying, “We have to enjoy him because we don’t know how long he will continue” playing. 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 keeps proving it in Major League Soccer.”

David Beckham, the former English international and co-founder of Inter Miami, stated that 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 outstanding World Cup performance, in which he scored eight goals. Beckham added, “When you see him achieve such feats tonight, when you see how he played in the World Cup... no player at the age of 39 delivers such performance at such a level.”

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

Breaking the deadlock, Messi received a pass from his former Barcelona teammate, Uruguayan Luis Suárez. The “Little Flea” rose above Colombian defender Wiler Dita and headed the ball into the goal in the 24th minute. Later, Messi delivered a precise corner kick into the penalty area, which Casemiro finished with a low header into the far corner with nine minutes remaining in regular time.