Messi Hits 100th Inter Miami Goal as Beckham Backs Him for Ballon d’Or Win

Lionel Messi marked his 100th goal for Inter Miami as the MLS side defeated Cruz Azul 2-0 to win the 2026 Campeones Cup, with co-owner David Beckham backing the Argentine to win another Ballon d’Or.

Messi reached the milestone on Wednesday night at Nu Stadium, scoring in the 24th minute with a header from a Luis Suarez cross. The goal came in his 115th appearance for Inter Miami.

The 39-year-old was involved again in the second half when his corner found Casemiro, who headed home in the 81st minute to complete Inter Miami’s 2-0 victory.

The win gave Inter Miami its first Campeones Cup title and added another trophy to the club’s growing collection since Messi joined in 2023.

Beckham, who co-owns the club, praised Messi’s continued performances and backed him for the 2026 Ballon d’Or.

“When you see him do things like this, when you see him have the World Cup that he’s had, there is no one at 39 that’s doing that, and doing it at that level,” Beckham declared. “He deserves to be considered for the Ballon d’Or. In my opinion, he should win it.”

Messi also enjoyed a standout 2026 World Cup campaign with Argentina, scoring eight goals and providing four assists as the team reached the final before losing to Spain.

His latest Inter Miami milestone has added to the debate around the 2026 Ballon d’Or, with Messi competing for the award against several of football’s leading players.

Casemiro, who scored Inter Miami’s second goal, also praised the Argentine and urged fans to appreciate his remaining years at the highest level.

“We have to enjoy this because we don’t know how long we’ll have it,” Casemiro noted. “What he has done and continues to do for football is incredible. He remains the best. He proved it at the World Cup and continues to prove it in MLS.”

Messi has now scored 100 goals for Inter Miami since joining the club in 2023. His milestone against Cruz Azul also came against the same team he scored his first goal for the club against, in his Inter Miami debut in July 2023.

With another major milestone reached and Beckham publicly backing his Ballon d’Or case, Messi remains at the centre of the conversation ahead of the 2026 award ceremony.