Lionel Messi is poised to complete his MLS revolution by leading Inter Miami to their first domestic championship on Saturday in a blockbuster MLS Cup final against the Vancouver Whitecaps.
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Since arriving in Florida two years ago, Messi has transformed the Major League Soccer landscape. Now 38, the Argentine superstar has spearheaded a dazzling Miami playoff run, scoring 17 goals in five postseason matches and bringing the expansion club, founded in 2020, to the cusp of its maiden title.
However, Miami’s path to glory is blocked by a dynamic Vancouver side led by German legend Thomas Müller, who joined the Whitecaps in August and has strengthened their already potent attack. Both Messi and Müller, along with fellow World Cup winners Sergio Busquets and Rodrigo De Paul, will feature at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale in a final that has captured global attention.
Müller downplayed talk of a personal showdown with Messi, saying, “It’s not about Messi against Thomas Müller. It’s Miami against the Whitecaps,” following Vancouver’s 3-1 victory over San Diego in the Western Conference final.
Miami’s presence in the final would have seemed improbable just months ago. In April, Javier Mascherano’s side had only two wins in eight games and suffered a 5-1 aggregate defeat to Vancouver in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Analysts criticized the team for a lack of fitness and defensive balance.
Fast-forward eight months, and Miami have been revitalized. The addition of Argentina midfielder De Paul has added steel and mobility, while Mascherano’s decision to bench veteran Luis Suarez in favor of 19-year-old Mateo Silvetti has injected pace into the attack.
Vancouver coach Jesper Sørensen refused to overstate his team’s previous wins against Miami, saying, “It almost seems like it was last season. It’s a new game. It’s two teams that approach the game in their way, and we will see who comes out on top come Saturday.”
Messi, speaking to ESPN Argentina, highlighted the advantage of playing at home. “We’re in a very good moment, the team is solid and excited. Playing at home is a plus. Even though we went through a stretch where we were inconsistent, at home we always stayed strong,” he said.
Müller, 36, is one of the few players in world football with a winning record against Messi, having beaten him in seven of their ten previous meetings — including the 2014 World Cup final and Bayern Munich’s 8-2 Champions League win over Barcelona in 2020. He said past results won’t define Saturday’s showdown: “It doesn’t really matter for Saturday, it’s a new game.”
