Messi Hits 99 Inter Miami Goals: Campeones Cup 2026 Preview and the Pink Kits
On Saturday night at Nu Stadium, Lionel Messi took a touch just outside the box and curled a left-footed shot into the far corner past Nashville goalkeeper Brian Schwake. It was the kind of goal he has made a career of, and it was also his 99th goal for Inter Miami across all competitions since arriving in the summer of 2023. Miami led 2-1 at that point; Sam Surridge equalised in stoppage time for 2-2. But the headline was the number: his 100th came three days later - a 24th-minute header against Cruz Azul in the Campeones Cup final that made him the first player in club history to reach a century of goals, and put Inter Miami on the way to a 2-0 win.
The 100th Goal, and a Career Past 900
The strike against Nashville was vintage: a De Paul assist, one touch to set, a curler beyond the keeper's reach. It also had to survive a near-miss festival - Messi hit the crossbar in the 50th minute, hit the post with a rebound in the 77th, and saw a chipped attempt headed off the line late. Across his Miami career he has now scored 100 times in 115 appearances, numbers that sit inside a professional total past 900 goals for club and country.
Golden Boot Lead, and a Third Straight 30+ Season
The goal was also Messi's 19th of the 2026 MLS regular season, which puts him at the top of the Golden Boot race with the playoffs still weeks away. He has 19 goals and 13 assists in 22 league appearances, has been named to the MLS Team of the Matchday ten times this season, and has now reached double-digit goals in three consecutive MLS campaigns.
| MLS season | Goals | Assists | Goal involvements |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 21 | 11 | 32 |
| 2025 | 35 | 23 | 58 |
| 2026 (through MD26) | 19 | 13 | 32+ |
Regular-season figures per league statistics, September 2026.
Campeones Cup 2026: The Trophy Is Won
The timing could hardly be better. On Wednesday, September 16 (kickoff 8:00 p.m. ET, Apple TV), MLS Cup champion Inter Miami hosted Liga MX champion Cruz Azul in the one-match, winner-take-all 2026 Campeones Cup at Nu Stadium - Miami's first appearance in the fixture. The trophy is contested between the reigning champions of MLS and Liga MX; Liga MX sides hold a 4-3 all-time edge and have won the last three editions, so Miami's 2-0 win - Messi scoring and assisting - levelled the all-time series at 4-4 and ended Liga MX's three-year hold on the cup.
There is history here too. Cruz Azul was the opponent in Messi's Inter Miami debut on July 21, 2023, when he came off the bench and curled a stoppage-time free kick into the top corner for a 2-1 Leagues Cup win. Three years later, the same opponent stands between Miami and another trophy. Note for planners: US local date is September 16; viewers in Asian time zones will see the kickoff in the early hours of September 17.
The Inter Miami Messi Kits Worth Wearing
Messi's Miami shirt collection now spans four distinct eras, and each one marks a chapter of the project: the debut-season home shirt from 2022-23, the away shirt from the 2025-26 season, the black-and-pink third shirt from 2024-25, and the 2025-26 home concept kit worn at the new stadium.
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For the full MLS picture - seven clubs stocked, 50 shirts - the league hub collects everything in one grid, and our dedicated Messi Miami era guide breaks down each shirt in depth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Inter Miami hosted Cruz Azul on Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at Nu Stadium in Miami, kickoff 8:00 p.m. ET, broadcast on Apple TV. In Asian time zones the match falls in the early hours of September 17.
100 goals in 115 appearances across all competitions since joining in July 2023. He became the first player in club history to reach 100, doing so with a 24th-minute header against Cruz Azul in the 2026 Campeones Cup final - a game Miami won 2-0, with Messi also assisting Casemiro's late header.
Yes. His goal against Nashville was his 19th of the 2026 MLS regular season, putting him at the top of the scoring chart with 19 goals and 13 assists in 22 appearances.
Yes - 2026 was Miami's first appearance, and they won it at the first attempt, beating Cruz Azul 2-0 (Messi with a goal and an assist). That levelled the all-time series between MLS and Liga MX at 4-4 and ended Liga MX's three-year run as holders.
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