Benjamin Cremaschi makes history: Inter Miami loanee joins Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland in elite list with U-20 World Cup major recognition

When Benjamin Cremaschi left Inter Miami, few expected that within months he would find himself mentioned alongside soccer royalty such as Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland.

When Benjamin Cremaschi left Inter Miami, few expected that within months he would find himself mentioned alongside soccer royalty such as Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland. The 20-year-old midfielder, now on loan at Parma, has enjoyed a breakout international tournament — and after the final whistle of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, he added his name to an exclusive list shared by some of the game’s biggest icons.

After struggling for playing time in Miami’s star-studded lineup — one that featured Messi, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, and more recently, Rodrigo De Paul — Cremaschi sought a fresh start in Europe. His loan move to Parma was seen as a risk, but it was during the U-20 World Cup in Chile that his potential truly came alive.

The United States reached the quarter-finals before falling to eventual champions Morocco, but Cremaschi’s individual brilliance did not go unnoticed. He scored five goals and registered two assists in five matches, leading his nation’s charge with confidence and composure well beyond his age. His standout performances came in the 9-1 thrashing of New Caledonia, where he bagged a hat-trick, and a 3-0 knockout win over Italy, where he scored twice.

The U-20 World Cup ended with Morocco defeating Argentina 2-0 to claim their first-ever title, thanks to a dazzling display from Yassir Zabiri and Othmane Maamma, who took home the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player. Yet while Morocco celebrated their historic win, Cremaschi quietly achieved something that placed him in elite company.

Rare place among legends

The American midfielder earned the Golden Boot — awarded to the tournament’s top scorer — finishing level on five goals with France’s Lucas Michal and Colombia’s Neiser Villarreal. The tie was broken by assists, where Cremaschi’s two proved decisive. It was only in the middle of the post-tournament celebrations that FIFA confirmed the honor — the Golden Boot, previously won by none other than Lionel Messi in 2005 and Erling Haaland in 2019.

The achievement places Cremaschi in a remarkable lineage of winners, including Sergio Aguero (2007), Cesare Casadei (2023), and Eddie Johnson (2003) — the only other American to claim the award.

For the Florida-born playmaker, who once idolized Messi from the same training pitch in Miami, it’s a surreal full-circle moment. “Whenever I saw the chance, I would try to learn from him [Messi],” Cremaschi said after the tournament. “I would try to absorb everything that he does: the way he takes care of himself, the way he manages himself. Great guy, even better player, and it was a very, very good experience playing with him.”

Those lessons clearly took root. His calmness on the ball, vision between the lines, and maturity in key moments mirrored the very traits he once studied in the Argentine legend.