With a chance to score his 100th goal with Inter Miami, there was simply no stopping Lionel Messi. Cruz Azul knew how big of a threat the Argentine would be in the 2026 Campeones Cup, but they may have never expected him to score through a header. News flash: Messi can do it all.
It’s not often Messi scores goals with his head. Whenever he does, however, it’s always in important games. The 2026 Campeones Cup, though not considered an official title by FIFA and Concacaf, was no different.
Once again, in a final, Messi rose to the occasion—literally. Just like he did in the 2008-09 UEFA Champions League final with Barcelona against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Manchester United. What better way for Messi to score his 100th goal for Inter Miami? As for his personal tally, it was Messi’s 925th goal. With Messi’s record against Liga MX clubs on the line, the Argentine magician took matters into his own hands.
MESSI HEADS IT IN! 😱
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 17, 2026
Leo's 100th career goal for @InterMiamiCF opens the scoring against Cruz Azul in @CampeonesCup. pic.twitter.com/M1cI6nOIhC
Roles reversed
There wasn’t much Cruz Azul‘s players could do. All week, they had been preparing for certain looks on attack from Inter Miami, mainly Messi crossing balls into the box in search of Luis Suarez’s head. They had no plans if the roles were reversed.
Thus, when Suarez was the one who put a cross into the penalty box, who would’ve imagined Messi was going to be on the receiving end? Messi was faster to the ball than the defenders, and at point-blank range, there was no way he would miss the net.
Messi chases his fourth title with Inter Miami
Since arriving in Miami, Messi has won three trophies. His first was the 2023 Leagues Cup, followed by the Supporters’ Shield in 2024 and the 2025 MLS Cup. The 2026 Campeones Cup wouldn’t be quite as prestigious as the other championships, but it would extend Messi and the Herons’ streak to four straight years with trophies won.
