Messi starts the Campeones Cup final, one goal from 100 for Inter Miami

Cristian "Kily" González takes charge of Inter Miami for the first time in the Campeones Cup final against Cruz Azul at Nu Stadium, with Lionel Messi captaining the side. Kickoff was at 8:00 a.m. Asia/Shanghai, and the trophy will be decided about two hours later. 123

Casemiro lines up in central defence again, the position he has filled for most of his short Inter Miami career. 2 Matías Galarza, signed on loan last month, starts in midfield, with Messi between Berterame and Suárez in the front three. 1

Joel Huiqui sends Cruz Azul out with five defenders and Ibáñez as the lone striker. Érik Lira, who played for Mexico at the 2026 World Cup, wears the armband. 12

Messi has scored 99 goals for Inter Miami across all competitions, in 114 matches since he joined in 2023, so his next goal for the club is his 100th. 45

A win gives Inter Miami a fourth trophy in four seasons with Messi, after the 2023 Leagues Cup, the 2024 Supporters' Shield and MLS Cup 2025. 2 It would also be González's first trophy in his first match in charge. He agreed terms with the club on Aug. 27, waited two and a half weeks for a work permit, and is under contract through June 2028. 3

If the teams are level after 90 minutes, the trophy is decided by a penalty shootout, as it was in 2023 and in 2024. 26

Messi arrives leading MLS with 32 goal contributions, 19 goals and 13 assists. 2 Inter Miami sit second in the Eastern Conference with 45 points from 25 games, and have won once in their last nine matches in all competitions. 23

Cruz Azul's trip ran late: their squad landed in Miami on Tuesday, a day behind plan, and the club asked for the final to be moved, according to a TUDN report carried by Athlon Sports. The match stayed on its date. 36

"More than an odyssey, sometimes accidents like this happen, and you just have to turn the page," Huiqui said. "The team is doing well." 3

MLS named Messi's goal against Nashville SC its AT&T Goal of the Matchday for Matchday 26. His left-footed curler in the 2-2 draw on Sept. 12 took 60.5% of the vote. 7

Carlo Holse of St. Louis CITY finished second on 27.3%, Antoine Griezmann of Orlando City third on 9.6%, and Nicolás Fernández Mercau of New York City FC fourth on 2.6%. 7

Eldense, the second-division Spanish club Messi is set to become majority shareholder of, said Wednesday it had hired Javi Calleja as head coach on a contract to June 2028. 8

Calleja has coached in Spain's first division with Villarreal and Alavés, finishing fifth with Villarreal twice, and in the second division with Levante and Oviedo. 8

Eldense said last week that Messi had reached a preliminary agreement with its owners to buy the shares held by Grupo TH Soluciones, subject to the remaining legal and contractual procedures. It would be the second Spanish club he invests in: earlier this year he became the owner of UE Cornellà, a fifth-division side based in Barcelona. Eldense are based near Alicante in southeast Spain. 8