Inter Miami vs. Cruz Azul: What the 2–0 Campeones Cup Result Decided

Inter Miami defeated Cruz Azul 2–0 on September 16, 2026, to win the 2026 Michelob ULTRA Campeones Cup. Lionel Messi scored in the 24th minute—his 100th goal for Inter Miami—and Casemiro added the second goal in the 81st minute. The official Inter Miami recap and MLS match report record the same result.

Who won Inter Miami vs. Cruz Azul?

Inter Miami won 2–0. Messi put Miami ahead, and Casemiro’s late goal completed the score. Because the MLS competition guide describes the Campeones Cup as a single-match championship, this was the final trophy result—not the first leg of a series.

What did the match decide?

The Campeones Cup matches the reigning MLS Cup champion with the winner of Liga MX’s Campeón de Campeones. For the 2026 edition, Inter Miami qualified as the 2025 MLS Cup champion, while Cruz Azul qualified as the 2026 Campeón de Campeones winner.

That context changes how to read the 2–0. It is not a league-table result or an aggregate score waiting for a return fixture. It is the complete outcome of a cross-league champions’ match, with Inter Miami taking the trophy.

Why does the scoreline tell more than “Messi scored”?

Messi’s goal marked a personal milestone, but the match was not a two-goal Messi performance. The official MLS report also records that Messi assisted Casemiro’s goal. The more useful interpretation is that Messi contributed to both decisive moments—scoring the opener and creating the second—while Inter Miami converted that contribution into a title.

The settled takeaway is simple: Inter Miami beat Cruz Azul 2–0, and the result decided the 2026 Campeones Cup in a single game.