Inter Miami entered the 2025 MLS Cup final chasing something the club had never touched before silverware at the highest level of American soccer. Ninety-plus minutes later, under the lights of Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, they didn’t just earn a trophy. They captured a moment that may define the franchise for years.
It was a match shaped by Vancouver’s tactical discipline, Miami’s bursts of precision, and above all, Lionel Messi’s command of a final that felt destined for his influence. The night ended 3–1, but the path to that scoreline carried its own rhythm, tension, and drama.
A Quick Strike That Set the Stage
Miami needed less than ten minutes to tilt the final in their direction. Messi, reading Vancouver’s defensive line with familiar sharpness, slipped Tadeo Allende down the right side. Allende whipped a low cross into the area, and the pressure forced defender Edier Ocampo into an unfortunate deflection that rolled into his own net.
Miami led early, but the tone of the match shifted almost immediately.
Vancouver Responds With Control and Composure
Instead of collapsing under the weight of an early mistake, Vancouver stepped higher, held the ball longer, and stretched Miami’s midfield. Thomas Mueller became their creative engine, stitching passes through tight pockets and repeatedly pulling Miami into uncomfortable positions.
Their patience cracked Miami’s shape in the 60th minute. Ali Ahmed drove into the penalty box with intent, shimmied into a shooting lane, and drilled a low finish past Ríos Novo. The equalizer wasn’t luck—it was earned through steady belief and a willingness to dictate the tempo.
At 1–1, the final hung delicately. Both teams sensed the moment was shifting. And that’s when Messi shifted it again.
Messi Changes the Match—Again
In the 71st minute, a loose touch in midfield became a spark. Messi pounced, lifted his head, and in an instant saw the lane Vancouver didn’t. His through-ball to Rodrigo De Paul cut the entire defense out of the play. De Paul finished with calm clarity, restoring Miami’s lead and flipping momentum back where it started.
Miami had no interest in sitting back, but Vancouver pushed desperately for a second equalizer. Each attack felt like a threat, but Miami waited patiently for one more decisive moment.
The Sealing Goal That Lit Up Chase Stadium
In stoppage time, the stadium held its breath as Messi collected the ball once more with space to work. What followed was a line-splitting pass only he could imagine threaded perfectly to Allende. Miami’s winger made no mistake, burying the finish and sending the home crowd into a surge of celebration that echoed well beyond the final whistle.
Emotional Goodbyes for Icons
As confetti fell, the cameras found Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets two legends sharing their final match together with Messi. Their emotions were raw, a reflection of careers that had intertwined across continents and eras. For Miami fans, it was a closing chapter and a new beginning at the same time.
A Championship Worth More Than a Trophy
Inter Miami claimed the MLS Cup, earning $300,000 in prize money and placing their name among the league’s champions for the first time. Vancouver, valiant runners-up, secured $150,000. But the story of the night belonged to Messi:
- Two assists
- Mastery of critical phases
- MLS Cup MVP honors
- A postseason tally of six goals and nine assists
- His first MLS championship
The final embodied what Miami hoped for when they built a team around him not just brilliance, but the ability to elevate everyone around him when it mattered most.
