River Plate Defeat Atlético de Madrid and Win the Inaugural Messi Cup in the United States
River Plate Crowned Champions of the First Messi Cup
River Plate’s Under-16 team made history by defeating Atlético de Madrid 2–0 and winning the inaugural edition of the Messi Cup, an international youth tournament held in the United States. The final took place at Chase Stadium, home of Inter Miami, in front of a crowd that included strong support for the Argentine club.The star of the match—and the tournament—was Bruno Cabral, who scored both goals for River Plate and finished the competition as top scorer with seven goals. Remarkably, the Argentine side played the entire second half with one player less, yet held firm to secure the historic title.
A High-Level Youth Tournament Named After Messi
The Messi Cup, named in honor of Lionel Messi, brought together eight elite Under-16 academies from around the world, offering a high-level platform for emerging talent. While Messi attended matches during the group stage, he was absent from the semifinals and final due to a tour in India.Despite his absence on the final weekend, the tournament reflected Messi’s vision of fostering youth development through competition, community, and opportunity.
A Tightly Contested Final Decided by Cabral
The opening stages of the final were evenly balanced, with few clear chances. Atlético de Madrid came close through a bicycle kick from Joaquín Amor, while River goalkeeper Estéfano Sarro produced a key save to keep the score level.The breakthrough arrived in the 27th minute when Bruno Cabral received the ball just outside the box and fired a powerful shot into the top corner. Moments later, with Atlético still reeling, Cabral struck again—controlling the ball near the penalty spot, feinting past the defender, and calmly finishing past the goalkeeper to make it 2–0.
At just 15 years old, Cabral—who joined River’s academy in late 2023 and is part of Argentina’s youth national teams—cemented his status as the tournament’s standout performer.
River Hold Firm With Ten Men
River Plate controlled much of the match under the guidance of coach Martín Pellegrino, but faced adversity early in the second half when Valentín Sayago was sent off after receiving a second yellow card.Down to ten players, River dropped deeper into their own half as Atlético de Madrid pushed forward in search of a comeback. Despite sustained pressure, the Argentine youngsters defended with discipline and composure, preserving the 2–0 lead until the final whistle.
The Road to the Final
River’s path to the title included a decisive 5–1 victory over Inter Milan in the final group-stage match, with Cabral scoring a hat trick and additional goals from Elián Suljic and Joaquín Amor. That result, combined with Barcelona’s 3–1 loss to Manchester City, allowed River to advance on goal difference.In the group stage, River drew 2–2 with Barcelona and lost 2–1 to Manchester City. In the semifinals, they defeated Chelsea 3–1, with goals from Valentín Sayago, Ramiro Álvarez, and Cabral once again playing a decisive role.
Atlético de Madrid reached the final after beating Manchester City 3–2. City later claimed third place with a 2–1 win over Chelsea. Barcelona finished fifth after defeating Inter Miami 6–4, while Newell’s Old Boys secured seventh place by beating Inter Milan on penalties after a 1–1 draw.
Tournament Format and Messi’s Presence
The Messi Cup featured two groups of four teams, with matches played in two 40-minute halves. The top two teams from each group advanced to the semifinals, culminating in the final at Chase Stadium.Group A included Inter Miami, Newell’s Old Boys, Atlético de Madrid, and Chelsea, while Group B featured River Plate, Barcelona, Manchester City, and Inter Milan.
Messi’s presence during the early stages added symbolic weight to the tournament. After River’s win over Inter Milan, the World Cup champion posed for photos with the players and received club jerseys as gifts.
At the tournament’s launch, Messi highlighted its mission: “The Messi Cup celebrates the spirit of the new generation. These young athletes compete with heart, work with dedication, and believe in achieving their goals.”
