David Beckham backs Lionel Messi for Ballon d'Or over Mbappé and Kane

Lionel Messi once again took centre stage for Inter Miami, scoring his 100th goal for the club and providing an assist in the victory over Cruz Azul that secured the Campeones Cup for the Florida side. His display drew immediate praise from co-owner David Beckham, who backed the Argentine to win the Ballon d'Or for a ninth time, ahead of names such as Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé.

• Messi reached 100 goals in 115 competitive appearances for Inter Miami by opening the scoring against Cruz Azul.
• Beckham insists the Argentine deserves the Ballon d'Or for his form at 39 and his strong World Cup with Argentina.
• Inter Miami added another trophy after the 2023 Leagues Cup, the 2024 Supporters' Shield and the 2025 MLS Cup.
• Casemiro sealed the final with a header from a Messi corner in the 81st minute and continues his scoring run as an aerial threat.

Messi's 100th Inter Miami goal seals the Campeones Cup

The Argentine opened the scoring in the 24th minute by turning in a Luis Suárez cross, a goal that took him to a century of strikes in 115 official appearances for the club. The landmark underlines the immediate impact Messi has made since arriving in Major League Soccer, where every match he plays has become an event on and off the pitch.

Casemiro doubled the lead in the 81st minute, heading in a corner delivered by Messi. The Brazilian midfielder has now scored four goals in his last five matches, all of them headers. Before being held scoreless against Nashville, he had found the net in three consecutive games against CF Montreal, Atlanta United and Chicago.

Beckham makes the case for a ninth Ballon d'Or for Messi

The Inter Miami co-owner was full of praise for his franchise player. Beckham admitted he still cannot quite believe Messi is in Miami and said he goes to training just to watch him. For the former England midfielder, what the Argentine is doing at almost 40 years old has no comparison in today's game.

At 39 years old, to affect the World Cup in every game the way he did, that's special. There's no one at 39 who is doing this at that level. He deserves to be considered for the Ballon d'Or. In my opinion, he should win it.

Beckham believes Messi's World Cup with Argentina, where the team reached the final before losing to champions Spain, strengthens his candidacy. The Argentine number ten finished the tournament with eight goals and four assists and became the competition's all-time top scorer, a mark later surpassed by Kylian Mbappé with his goal in the bronze final.

Messi, Kane, Yamal and Mbappé: the Ballon d'Or race

The Inter Miami owner names Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham as strong rivals for the award, with Lamine Yamal also among those in the conversation. Beckham, however, has no doubts: he describes himself as Messi's biggest supporter and argues that his consistency, his influence in every match and his ability to decide finals put him above the rest.

Inter Miami's trophy haul since Messi's arrival

The win over Cruz Azul adds the Campeones Cup to a growing cabinet. Since Messi landed in Florida three years ago, the club has won the Leagues Cup in 2023, the Supporters' Shield in 2024 and the MLS Cup in 2025. The new trophy confirms the transformation of a franchise that has gone from modest finishes to becoming one of the most competitive teams in North American soccer.

Inter Miami's next MLS challenge

The Florida side returns to MLS regular-season action on Sunday when it hosts San Diego FC at Nu Stadium. Miami enters that match sitting second in the Eastern Conference standings and will look to extend its strong run while pushing further up the table.

Frequently asked questions about Messi and the Ballon d'Or