Palmeiras Wins Messi Cup and Lionel Messi Eligible for MLS Match

Palmeiras claimed the championship of the second edition of the Messi Cup on Sunday by defeating River Plate 1 to 0 in the under-16 final held in Fort Lauderdale, United States. Miguel Messias scored the lone goal of the decisive match, lifting the Brazilian side to an undefeated tournament run.

The victory marks only the second time a team has won the international youth competition, which debuted in 2025 when River Plate took home the inaugural trophy. Palmeiras advanced through the tournament by facing several prominent international academies, securing victories over Barcelona, the Newell's Old Boys, and Arsenal in the group stage.

During the knockout rounds, Palmeiras continued its strong performance by defeating Benfica 6 to 3 before overcoming Ajax 3 to 2 in a comeback victory to reach the final. Other notable participants in the youth tournament included Atlético de Madrid, Boca Juniors, Chelsea, Flamengo, Internazionale, and Manchester City.

The youth tournament, running from October 25 to November 1, 2026, at the Inter Miami Stadium in South Florida, also kept its namesake founder busy. Lionel Messi missed the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony in London partly due to his organizational commitments overseeing the under-16 competition, alongside a demanding schedule with Inter Miami.

Meanwhile, Messi remained available for selection in Inter Miami's penultimate regular-season match against the New England Revolution. Despite receiving his fifth yellow card of the season during a 2 to 2 draw against FC Cincinnati, the Argentine forward avoided a mandatory one-match suspension.

Under Major League Soccer regulations, players who complete five consecutive matches without receiving a disciplinary booking have one yellow card deducted from their active suspension tally. Having achieved this clean streak twice during the campaign, two of Messi's cautions no longer count toward accumulation, allowing him to take the field.

Inter Miami entered the fixture against New England striving to secure second place in the Eastern Conference standings. The team relied on its captain as they looked to close out the regular season and maintain momentum ahead of the upcoming playoffs.