Lionel Messi scores his milestone goal for Inter Miami

Argentina national team captain Lionel Messi has reached 100 goals for the US club Inter Miami. This historic milestone coincided with the team's victory over Cruz Azul, securing the Campeones Cup for the Florida club. The match at the DRV PNK Stadium marked the debut for new head coach Kily Gonzalez, who began his tenure with a prestigious trophy. This is reported by Goal.com .

According to Goal.com, the traditional Campeones Cup match, which pits the reigning champions of MLS and Liga MX against each other, was intense. In the 24th minute, Lionel Messi opened the scoring with a header from a precise cross by Luis Suarez. For the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, this goal marked his 100th for the Miami side.

Historic victory and new coach's luck

As the match neared its end, Casemiro also scored with a header to extend the lead. This assist was also provided by Lionel Messi, and the match ended in a 2-0 victory for Inter Miami. This win was an unexpected and sweet gift for new head coach Kily Gonzalez, who replaced Guillermo Hoyos at the end of August.

Due to delays in obtaining a work visa, the coach only managed to hold his first training session on Tuesday, just before the game. Only 24 hours later, he secured his first trophy. In the post-match press conference, Gonzalez recalled a personal promise the team captain made to him before the final.

“Leo told me we would be champions, and he delivered,” the new coach said after the victory. He emphasized that this success will give the team a huge morale boost and serve as an important step in moving forward.

Record-breaking century

His midfield partner Rodrigo de Paul urged fans not to take the player's unique talent for granted. According to the midfielder, every performance by Messi should be cherished, and fans should enjoy every moment of it. De Paul specifically noted how happy he is to have played alongside him for years.

Notably, Lionel Messi's 100-goal milestone for the Florida club stands out for its unprecedented speed. He reached 100 goals for Inter Miami in just 115 matches. This is significantly faster than his records at Barcelona (188 matches) and the Argentina national team (174 matches).

Since moving to the United States in 2023, the forward has scored 76 goals in MLS matches, 14 in the Leagues Cup, 8 in the Concacaf Champions Cup, and 1 in the FIFA Club World Cup.