Inter Miami secured their first-ever Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup crown on Saturday with a dramatic 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps, a triumph powered by the decisive influence of Lionel Messi, who capped his third MLS season by winning his 47th career professional trophy and securing the final’s MVP award.
Inter Miami have won the club’s first MLS Cup, beating the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 🏆
Lionel Messi didn’t score but notched two assists, including on the cup-winning goal. pic.twitter.com/Or8SRM2Lgl
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) December 6, 2025
Despite a strong challenge from Vancouver, which featured German star Thomas Mueller and managed to equalize in the second half through Ali Ahmed, the match ultimately swung on the Argentine maestro’s vision and skill. Messi’s genius was directly responsible for all three goals; he set up the opener with a key pass that led to an own goal, then seized possession to deliver a decisive assist to Rodrigo De Paul for the 71st-minute go-ahead goal, and finally threaded a pass to Tadeo Allende deep into stoppage time to seal the victory.
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The title win represents the culmination of a long-term project spearheaded by co-owner David Beckham and served as a poignant final match for his long-time friends and teammates Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets. Messi celebrated the emotional victory, stating the MLS Cup was one of the team’s main goals after a tremendous effort throughout a very long year.
