Messi Reaches 36 Final Goals and 100 for Inter Miami
The goal was his 100th for Inter Miami and, according to statistics cited by Goal and other football outlets, his 36th goal in finals.
Photo: Courtesy.
By Robert Mutasi
MIAMI, United States
Thursday, September 17, 2026
Lionel Messi added two more milestones to his remarkable career on Wednesday night after scoring in Inter Miami’s 2-0 victory over Cruz Azul in the 2026 Campeones Cup final.
Messi opened the scoring in the 24th minute, heading Luis Suárez’s cross into the net to give Miami the lead. The goal was his 100th for Inter Miami and, according to statistics cited by Goal and other football outlets, his 36th goal in finals.
The Argentine had entered the final with 35 goals scored in finals during his club and international career. His latest strike against Cruz Azul moved him to 36, extending the record attributed to him in that statistical category.
The night also marked a significant milestone for Inter Miami. Messi became the first player in the club’s history to score 100 goals across all competitions. The club confirmed that he reached the mark in 115 appearances, correcting earlier reports that had placed the number at 114 games.
His 100 goals for Miami have come since his arrival in South Florida in 2023. The club’s official breakdown shows 11 goals in 2023, 23 in 2024, 43 in 2025 and 23 so far in 2026.
Messi’s first Miami goal also came against Cruz Azul. He scored a stoppage-time free kick in July 2023 to seal a 2-1 victory on his debut. Three years later, he again found the net against the Mexican club in a final, this time to reach the century mark for Miami.
Casemiro added Miami’s second goal in the 81st minute, heading home a corner delivered by Messi. The victory gave Inter Miami its first Campeones Cup title.
The result also added another trophy to a remarkable period for the Florida club since Messi’s arrival. Inter Miami won the Leagues Cup in 2023, the MLS Supporters’ Shield in 2024 and the MLS Cup in 2025. The club has now added the Campeones Cup to that collection.
Messi’s individual record has also continued to grow in Major League Soccer. Inter Miami says he won the MLS Golden Boot in 2025 with 29 goals and became the first player in league history to win the Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player award in consecutive seasons, taking the honour in both 2024 and 2025.
The latest goal also moved Messi’s official career tally to 929 goals, based on reports putting him on 928 before the Campeones Cup final. He continues to move toward the much-discussed 1,000-goal mark.
At 39, Messi remains central to Inter Miami’s campaign and continues to add milestones to a career that has already included major club and international honours. UEFA’s latest review of his records notes that he has passed 1,000 first-team appearances for club and country and remains one of only three players to have scored more than 100 goals in UEFA club competitions.
His latest performance against Cruz Azul therefore produced two notable figures in the same match: 36 goals in finals and 100 goals for Inter Miami, while his career tally moved to 929 official goals.
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