Lionel Messi gave MLS Commissioner Don Garber an earful following Inter Miami’s Campeones Cup win.The Herons claimed a 2-0 victory over Mexican side Cruz Azul in the early hours of Thursday morning [UK time].Messi bagged his 100th Inter Miami goal in their Campeones Cup win over Cruz AzulMessi scored the opener midway through the first half, his 100th in an Inter Miami shirt, before Casemiro wrapped up the victory late on.And as the MLS giants, now managed by Messi’s former international teammate Cristian ‘Kily’ Gonzalez, celebrated their first ever Campeones Cup triumph, the iconic Argentine made a beeline for Garber.While it’s unclear what Messi said to the MLS Commissioner, the 39-year-old didn’t look best pleased as he spoke with Garber.Garber’s previous with MessiGarber and Messi have endured a frosty relationship in recent weeks, which the former feels stems from the latter’s decision to skip the 2025 MLS All-Star Game.The Inter Miami forward was handed a one-game ban as a result.View Tweet: https://t.co/uykayLQZc3And Garber believes that Messi holds him accountable for issues with referees in the league.“We are communicating a little bit more,” Garber stated in an interview earlier this year.“After a game, the president of US Soccer and their CEO and I went down to the officials’ locker room, waited for Ismail to come out, one of our referees, and thanked him for officiating probably the most difficult game of his career.View Tweet: https://x.com/hashtag/InterMiamiCF?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw“I don’t think Leo was too happy during that game.“I’m not sure that he looks at me as the guy who picks the officials; I don’t, but he’s got to complain to somebody. I’ll take it.”Ballon d’Or 2026 winner?Messi’s Campeones Cup success will reinforce his 2026 Ballon d’Or credentials, with a number of high-profile individuals backing the Argentine to claim the individual award.The former Argentina international is on the 30-man shortlist for the accolade, which includes Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Rodri and Spain’s 2026 World Cup hero Ferran Torres.And following Inter Miami’s win over Cruz Azul, former England and Manchester City star, and Inter Miami co-owner, Sir David Beckham backed Messi for the gong, which will take place in London for the first time next month.Messi deserves a ninth Ballon d’Or triumph according to Beckham“I think when you see him do things like this tonight, when you see him have the World Cup that he’s had, it’s not luck that he’s being considered for the Ballon d’Or again,” Beckham said.“It’s not luck because he was probably the best player in the tournament. He had an incredible year last year.”Beckham isn’t the only former pro suggesting that Messi wins the Ballon d’Or with 1998 World Cup adversary Diego Simeone calling for his compatriot to claim the award.When asked recently who deserved to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or, the Atletico Madrid boss said: “Messi, without a doubt.“Look at the World Cup he played at his age. No doubt about it! Messi.”talkSPORT verdictConversely, talkSPORT’s own Ally McCoist was left ‘angered’ by suggestions that Messi could win the 2026 Ballon d’Or.Speaking on Breakfast earlier this month, it was put to McCoist that Messi could claim the award, to which he replied: “That has angered me. There’s no way on this earth.“He doesn’t deserve it. It’s for the player of the year, it’s the Ballon d’Or, which he wasn’t. He has been, but he wasn’t this year.”Kane, and not Messi, deserves to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or according to McCoistGettyRather, the former Scotland striker threw his support behind Bayern Munich and England star Kane, continuing: “Who are his serious competitors?“I get (Kylian) Mbappe. Mbappe’s goalscoring at Real Madrid was fantastic and goalscoring at the World Cup was great.“But Harry Kane has been absolutely out of this world. And I don’t buy the argument that you cannot win the award unless you win the Champions League or you have a great World Cup.”