Messi reaches 100 goals for Inter Miami as Campeones Cup win takes career total to 49 trophies

Lionel Messi scored and created another goal as Inter Miami beat Cruz Azul 2-0 to win the Campeones Cup, reaching 100 goals for the club in only his 115th appearance.

Messi opened the scoring in the 24th minute before delivering the corner from which Brazilian team-mate Casemiro headed Inter Miami’s second in the 81st minute.

The victory secured another major honour for Inter Miami and gave Messi a new landmark in a career that has continued to produce records since his move to the United States.

His 100th goal for the club came in unusual circumstances. The Argentina forward converted a delivery from former Barcelona team-mate Luis Suarez with a header, then turned provider later in the match to help seal the win.

Messi also scored his first Inter Miami goal against Cruz Azul, finding the net with a free-kick in July 2023. More than three years later, the Mexican side was again the opponent when he reached a century of goals for the club.

The trophy was the 49th Messi has won with his clubs and Argentina, extending his record as football’s most decorated player.

Since joining Inter Miami from Paris Saint-Germain in 2023, he has added five trophies to his collection with the American club.

Messi helped Inter Miami win the Leagues Cup in 2023, only weeks after making his debut. He also played a key role in their Supporters’ Shield success in 2024, when the club set a league record by collecting 74 points in a single MLS season. Last season, Inter Miami won the MLS Cup.

Messi reached 100 goals for Inter Miami faster than he did for any other club or national team he has represented. He needed 188 matches to score 100 times for Barcelona and 174 appearances to reach the same figure with Argentina.

His Inter Miami goals have come in several competitions: 76 in MLS, 14 in the Leagues Cup, eight in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, one in the FIFA Club World Cup and one in the Campeones Cup.

The latest goal took Messi’s overall tally for club and country to 929. He is also leading the MLS scoring charts this season with 19 goals in 22 matches.

Casemiro praised Messi after the match, saying: “We must enjoy him, because we do not know how long this will continue. What he has done, and continues to do, for football is incredible.”

The former Real Madrid player added: “He is still the best. He proved that at the World Cup and continues to prove it in MLS.”

Messi announced at the end of August that he would retire from international football, with his final Argentina appearance scheduled for 6 October in Buenos Aires. Until then, he continues to pursue further records and trophies in the closing chapter of his career.