Inter Miami are Campeones Cup champions. Lionel Messi scored the 100th goal of his Inter Miami career and Casemiro added a late header as Miami defeated Cruz Azul 2-0 on Wednesday night at Nu Stadium to lift the 2026 Campeones Cup in front of 26,495 fans.
Relive the buildup: read our Inter Miami vs Cruz Azul match preview for the full pre-match breakdown.
Watch the Highlights
Full match highlights: Inter Miami CF vs. Cruz Azul, Campeones Cup final, via the official MLS YouTube channel.
For the full season beyond this final, see our 2026 watch guide for where to watch Liga MX, El Tri, and South American club soccer from the USA.
How Miami Won It
The breakthrough came in the 24th minute. Luis Suarez swung in a cross from the right, and Messi rose to meet it with a header, a rare finish for a player famous for the magic in his left foot. The ball beat the Cruz Azul goalkeeper and sent Nu Stadium into a frenzy. Goal number 100 in an Inter Miami shirt.
Cruz Azul pushed for an equalizer after the break and had their moments, but the Miami defense held firm. Then, in the 81st minute, Messi shaped the result again. His corner kick found Casemiro, and the Brazilian midfielder powered home a header to make it 2-0 and put the trophy beyond Cruz Azul’s reach.
Messi’s 100th Comes Full Circle
There was something fitting about the opponent. Messi’s 100th Inter Miami goal, reached in just 115 appearances across all competitions, came against the same club he scored his first Miami goal against. Back in July 2023, a stoppage time free kick against Cruz Azul sealed a 2-1 Leagues Cup win and announced his arrival in American soccer. More than three years later, La Maquina were again on the other side of a historic Messi moment.
The milestone adds another line to an already absurd resume. Messi became the all time Leagues Cup scorer earlier this summer, on the heels of a 2026 World Cup in which Argentina finished second and he finished as the tournament’s all time leading scorer with 21 goals overall.
Casemiro’s Golden Run of Headers
Casemiro’s 81st minute header was his fourth headed goal in his last five matches. The Brazilian midfielder had scored in three consecutive games against CF Montreal, Atlanta United, and Chicago before being held scoreless Saturday against Nashville. Wednesday night, he was back on the scoresheet when it mattered most, and all four of his recent goals have come the same way: towering headers.
His partnership with Messi on set pieces is becoming a genuine weapon. Messi’s corner delivery was inch perfect, and Casemiro attacked it with the timing of a striker.
Another Trophy for the Cabinet
The victory gave Inter Miami yet another trophy just three years after Messi’s arrival in South Florida. The cabinet now reads: Leagues Cup in 2023, Supporters’ Shield in 2024, MLS Cup in 2025, and now the Campeones Cup in 2026. The annual clash between the reigning MLS Cup champion and the winner of Liga MX’s Campeon de Campeones went the way of the hosts, and Costa Rican referee Keylor Herrera kept control of a final that never truly boiled over.
For Cruz Azul, it is a painful bookend. The 2021 final also ended in a 2-0 defeat to MLS opposition, when Columbus Crew beat them by the same scoreline.
What Comes Next
Inter Miami return to MLS play on Sunday when they host San Diego FC at Nu Stadium. Miami enter the match second in the Eastern Conference standings, still chasing top spot with the playoffs approaching.
For one night, though, the league table could wait. Wednesday belonged to Messi, his 100th goal, and another trophy raised in Miami.
