River Plate lift inaugural Messi Cup title in Miami

River Plate were crowned the first ever champions of the Messi Cup, an elite under-16 academy tournament, after a composed 2-0 victory over Atlético de Madrid in the final at Chase Stadium in Miami. The youth competition, created by Lionel Messi and his company, concluded its debut edition with strong international interest and Messi’s regular presence across the event.

Held in Miami, the inaugural tournament brought together eight of the world’s leading academies, blending elite competition with cultural and developmental experiences for the next generation of players. Among the participants were Barcelona, Manchester City, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Atlético de Madrid, River Plate, Inter Miami and Newell’s Old Boys.

From the opening minutes of the final, River Plate looked sharper and more authoritative. They nearly took the lead inside five minutes when Joaquín Amor attempted an acrobatic bicycle kick from a corner that narrowly missed the target.

Atlético de Madrid responded with a clear chance of their own when Silva released Julen through on goal, but River goalkeeper Estéfano Sarro produced an excellent one on one save to keep the scores level.

River’s pressure paid off in the 28th minute. A high recovery sparked a quick transition, and Bruno Cabral finished emphatically with a toe poke into the top corner.

Just over a minute later, Cabral struck again. A sharp move down the left flank, led by Suljic, ended with Cabral cutting inside the box and finishing confidently for his seventh goal of the tournament, putting River firmly in control.

Despite being reduced to ten men in the second half after Sayago was sent off, River held firm as Atlético pushed for a way back. Sarro remained solid, and River’s defence stayed organised until the final whistle to seal the clean sheet and the title.

Cabral was named MVP of both the final and the tournament after finishing as the top scorer with seven goals in five matches, while Sarro was awarded Best Goalkeeper. Manchester City claimed third place with a 2-1 win over Chelsea.

With River Plate lifting the inaugural trophy, the under 16 Messi Cup has made a strong first impression as a global platform for elite academy football, setting the tone for future editions of the competition.