The Argentina superstar capped his third Major League Soccer season with the 47th trophy of his career, guiding Inter Miami to a 3-1 win over Muller’s Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS Cup Final.
Messi expressed, “Three years ago, I decided to come to MLS, and today we are MLS champions.”
“We reached the semifinals of the CONCACAF (The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football Champions Cup. Last year we went out early in the league and were eliminated in the first round. This year, winning MLS was one of our main objectives.” added Messi.
Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi has credited the club’s MLS Cup triumph to his teammates’ determination, saying the group met every challenge across a demanding campaign.
The team struck early, when Vancouver defender Edier Ocampo diverted a Tadeo Allende effort into his own net in the eighth minute.
Despite the setback, the Whitecaps grew into the match, controlling long stretches of the first half under the leadership of veteran midfielder Thomas Müller.
Their persistence was rewarded in the 60th minute, when Ali Ahmed’s bouncing shot slipped past Miami goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo to level the score.
But the second half belonged to Messi. In the 71st minute, he dispossessed Vancouver in midfield before setting up Rodrigo De Paul, who calmly beat Yohei Takaoka to restore Miami’s lead.
With the crowd chanting his name, Messi delivered again in stoppage time, assisting Allende for Miami’s third goal and sparking celebrations throughout the stadium.
The win marks Messi’s 44th senior title and his third with Inter Miami. Named MLS Cup MVP, the 38-year-old called the moment “beautiful” and praised Miami’s supporters for their unwavering backing.
For co-owner David Beckham, the triumph caps a 12-year journey from launching the club to lifting its first league championship.
“The team made a huge effort — it was a very long year, with many matches — and we were up to the task all season,” Messi said. “This is the moment I had been waiting for, and that we, as a team, were waiting for. It’s very beautiful for all of us. They deserved it.”
Both Messi and Müller had already secured their soccer legacies long before Saturday’s match. Each is a World Cup and Champions League winner. And both are Club World Cup winners.
They arrived in MLS with a similar goal: to add a league title to their already overflowing resumes. And even with little left to prove in their careers, it was evident how much the chance to lift the MLS Cup mattered to both veterans.
The win marks the crowning achievement of Inter Miami since the club — which entered the league as an expansion club in 2020 — successfully lured World Cup-winner Messi to Miami in 2023.
Additionally,Lionel Messi was given the MVP most valuable player award after the MLS Cup Final match.
