MIAMI — Lionel Messi has added another memorable chapter to his Inter Miami story, scoring his 100th goal for the club and helping the Herons secure the 2026 Campeones Cup with a 2-0 victory over Cruz Azul on Wednesday night.
The win gave Inter Miami their fourth trophy of the Messi era and their first piece of silverware at Nu Stadium, their new 26,700-seat home in downtown Miami.
New head coach Cristian “Kily” González could hardly have asked for a better start to his tenure. Speaking after the match, he revealed that Messi had promised to help him become a champion.
“I don’t have words to describe what I’m feeling,” González told reporters. “It’s joy, happiness, so many emotions.
“Leo told me he’d make me a champion, so he kept his word.”
Messi opened the scoring in the 24th minute, rising to meet Luis Suárez’s cross and directing a superb header into the net. The goal marked his 100th across all competitions for Inter Miami and set the tone for another standout performance from the club captain.
The Argentine then played a part in the second goal late in the game. In the 81st minute, his corner found summer signing Casemiro, who headed the ball past Cruz Azul goalkeeper Kevin Mier to seal the victory.
The result also gave Inter Miami their first trophy at Nu Stadium, a moment that managing owner Jorge Mas had been looking forward to since the stadium opened in April.
“I’ve always said Inter Miami is being built to lift trophies,” Mas told Apple TV. “Obviously, it helps to have the best player in the world of all time, Lionel Messi. I think we saw vintage Messi tonight.
“It’s the first trophy we lift in our new stadium, so it’s an amazing night. And we’re going to continue pushing, pushing the envelope, aspiring to be the best team in the Americas.”
Messi’s Trophy Collection Continues to Grow
With the latest triumph, Messi’s record trophy haul has increased to 48 major titles with club and country.
The victory came after a busy summer in which he helped Argentina reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup final. On Wednesday, he initially lifted the Campeones Cup on his own as the Nu Stadium crowd celebrated, before his teammates joined him for the official ceremony.
Inter Miami midfielder Yannick Bright described playing alongside Messi as a privilege and said the Argentine’s desire to win continues to inspire the squad.
“This guy always wants to win, and it’s an inspiration,” Bright said. “Because when you see him doing it, it’s contagious. I’m happy. I’m honored. Honestly, it’s the highlight of my life having him as a teammate.”
A New Home for Inter Miami’s Trophy Ambitions
Messi’s arrival in July 2023 transformed Inter Miami and helped the club build a strong supporting cast, including Luis Suárez and former stars Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.
Since then, the Herons have won the 2023 Leagues Cup, the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield and the 2025 MLS Cup. However, those achievements came before the club had a permanent stadium of its own.
That changed this year with the opening of Nu Stadium. Wednesday’s victory gave Inter Miami their first trophy in front of their home supporters at the new ground.
Goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair said the atmosphere inside the stadium reflected the club’s growing expectations.
“Listen to the fans right now, this is what it is to play here,” St. Clair said. “The standard, the expectation is to be able to lift trophies every season.”
González, meanwhile, is already looking ahead to more success.
“Like I said yesterday, you can be assured that this team will give everything to win many more trophies,” he said.
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