The 2026 Campeones Cup added another trophy to Lionel Messi's career and to Inter Miami's winning run. In the count published by MLS, the title took Messi to 48 trophies for club and country. For Inter Miami, the 2-0 victory over Cruz Azul delivered the Campeones Cup, while the opening goal was also Messi's 100th for the club. These are three different figures and each measures something different: the team title won in the match, the player's career trophy collection, and his individual scoring milestone.
What Inter Miami won against Cruz Azul
Inter Miami beat Cruz Azul 2-0 at Nu Stadium in Miami to win the 2026 Campeones Cup. The competition is an annual, single-match showdown between the previous season's MLS Cup champion and the LIGA MX representative determined through Campeón de Campeones. In 2026, Inter Miami entered as the 2025 MLS Cup champion.
Messi opened the scoring in the 24th minute with a header from a Luis Suárez assist. In the 81st minute, Casemiro headed in a Messi corner to complete the result. The victory also gave the club its first trophy at Nu Stadium.
- Score: Inter Miami 2-0 Cruz Azul.
- Messi goal: 24th minute, his 100th for Inter Miami.
- Second goal: Casemiro in the 81st minute, assisted by Messi.
- Trophy: 2026 Campeones Cup.
Why the Campeones Cup counts as Messi's 48th trophy
MLS recorded the Campeones Cup as the 48th trophy of Messi's career, counting titles won for clubs and the Argentina national team. The number 48 therefore does not mean 48 titles with Inter Miami. It is the league's career total for the player's professional career.
During Messi's time with Inter Miami, MLS highlights four pieces of silverware that maintained a four-season trophy streak: the 2023 Leagues Cup, 2024 Supporters' Shield, 2025 MLS Cup and 2026 Campeones Cup. Those titles join the trophies Messi previously won with Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Argentina.
Historical trophy totals can vary depending on the criteria used to recognize certain competitions, so this article explicitly follows the official MLS count for the 48-trophy milestone.
Why Inter Miami calls the Campeones Cup its fifth title
Two official sources frame the club's total differently. Inter Miami says the Campeones Cup was the fifth title in club history. In the club's own count, the previous four are the 2023 Leagues Cup, 2024 Supporters' Shield, 2025 Eastern Conference title and 2025 MLS Cup.
The MLS article about the club's annual trophy streak, meanwhile, lists the Leagues Cup, Supporters' Shield, MLS Cup and Campeones Cup, one trophy in each season from 2023 through 2026. The difference is that Inter Miami includes the 2025 Eastern Conference title in its historical total. Both figures can therefore coexist once the counting criteria are made clear.
The 100th goal is a separate milestone from the trophy
Messi's header against Cruz Azul was his 100th goal for Inter Miami. According to the club, he reached the mark in 115 appearances across all competitions and became the first player in Inter Miami history to score 100 goals.
The club's breakdown is 11 goals in 2023, 23 in 2024, 43 in 2025 and 23 in 2026 through the Campeones Cup. The 100-goal figure is an individual performance milestone. The Campeones Cup is a team title. The 48th trophy is a career honors count. Keeping these three references separate prevents different statistics from being treated as if they were the same number.
What the Campeones Cup is and what the trophy represents
The Campeones Cup began in 2018 and was created to bring together champions connected to the region's two leading club leagues. Unlike Leagues Cup, it has no group stage or multi-round knockout bracket. The title is decided in a single match between the previous MLS Cup winner and the LIGA MX Campeón de Campeones winner.
With Inter Miami's victory, MLS drew level in the competition's all-time series at four titles apiece, according to the league's match report. For the Miami club, the trophy also extended the run of silverware that began in 2023.
| Milestone | What it means |
|---|---|
| 2026 Campeones Cup | Team title won by Inter Miami against Cruz Azul. |
| Messi's 48th trophy | MLS count of the player's career titles for club and country. |
| 100th Inter Miami goal | Individual scoring milestone reached by Messi in 115 appearances across all competitions. |
| Inter Miami's 5th title | The club's official count, which includes the 2025 Eastern Conference title. |
What is the correct date of the title
The match was scheduled and played on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, in Miami. The MLS article highlighting Messi's 48th trophy was published on September 17. Therefore, the correct date for the match and title is September 16, 2026; September 17 refers to part of the official coverage that circulated after the game.
