On a cool December night in Fort Lauderdale, Inter Miami CF finally grabbed the moment they were built for. With Lionel Messi pulling the strings, the club lifted its first-ever MLS Cup after a 3-1 win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Chase Stadium. It was the kind of finish that felt both inevitable and historic: Messi as the playmaker, Miami as the new standard.

Two assists from the greatest to ever do it, two late goals to seal it, and a crowd full of pink shirts and No. 10 jerseys roaring into the night. This was not just a victory. It was a statement about where Inter Miami is going — and where MLS stands in 2025.

Messi the Orchestrator: Two Assists, One MVP

Messi didn’t need to score to decide the final. He read the game, took the ball in tight spots, and turned tense moments into clear chances. He earned MLS Cup 2025 MVP honors by assisting the final two goals and setting the pace all over the field.

The breakthrough came in the 72nd minute. After a brilliant steal and a precise pass through a tight defense, Messi found Rodrigo De Paul for the go-ahead goal. It was calm, quick, and clinical — a veteran play between World Cup winners that turned the final on its head. In stoppage time, Messi slipped in Tadeo Allende to finish the job, adding a second assist to complete the 3-1 win.

With those two helpers, Messi set a new MLS single postseason record: 15 goal contributions (six goals, nine assists). The numbers match what everyone watching felt — that he was always in control of the biggest moments.

“Messi didn’t just play the final — he coached it from the pitch.”

The Turning Point: De Paul’s Decisive Strike

Finals often hinge on one clean play. This one did, too. In the 72nd, Messi jumped a passing lane, kept his balance under pressure, and slid a perfect ball into De Paul’s stride. De Paul did the rest, passing it past the keeper to put Miami ahead for good.

That moment broke Vancouver’s shape and spirit. The Whitecaps had worked hard to stay level, but the combination of Messi’s vision and De Paul’s timing was the game’s sharpest edge.

Allende’s Stoppage-Time Seal

With Vancouver pushing, Miami found space again late. Messi waited for the gap, Allende attacked it, and the pass arrived on time. The stoppage-time finish was a simple end to a complex night: Inter Miami, under pressure, still finding extra gears.

Star Power on Display: Messi vs Thomas Müller

This final had star wattage. On one side, Messi — Argentina’s World Cup hero and now MLS’s brightest light. On the other, Vancouver’s Thomas Müller, Germany’s World Cup winner and big-game voice, who acknowledged the defeat while staying upbeat about Vancouver’s future. It was a showcase of global names pushing MLS into a bigger spotlight.

“If this is Miami with Messi, what happens when Freedom Park opens?”

Legacy in Pink: Golden Boot and Trophy No. 47

Messi’s season was heavy with numbers and moments. He won the 2025 MLS Golden Boot with 29 goals and 19 assists in the regular season, then carried that form into the playoffs. The Cup raises his total to 47 major career trophies.

Since joining Inter Miami in July 2023, he has lifted three titles with the club:

• 2023 Leagues Cup
• 2024 Supporters’ Shield
• 2025 MLS Cup

That is a rapid rise for a team still building its story. Inter Miami are not just collecting hardware; they are building an identity with Messi at the core.

World Champions, Now MLS Champions

This MLS Cup also made a new kind of history. Messi, Rodrigo De Paul, and Sergio Busquets — all FIFA World Cup winners — became the first to lift an MLS Cup. It’s a marker of how the league has evolved. The world’s biggest winners are not just visiting MLS; they are shaping its biggest nights.

The Club and the League: What This Win Means

Inter Miami are now the 16th team in MLS history to win the Cup. The club’s growth has been fast and visible, and the fan base felt it in full at Chase Stadium — thousands in No. 10 shirts, celebrating a team that has arrived as a major force in South Florida’s sports scene.

For MLS, this title is another chapter in a league defined by tight races and fresh champions. Five different franchises have won the last five championships. That parity keeps every season wide open — and makes the rise of a new power like Miami even more compelling.

“MLS parity is real, but Miami just raised the ceiling.”

Contract, Continuity, and the Freedom Park Era

Messi’s contract runs through 2028, which means Miami’s window is not a flash — it’s a plan. The club will carry this momentum into their future home, Miami Freedom Park. A new stadium, a champion core, and a global icon at the center is a powerful mix.

The message after this Cup is simple: the standard in Miami is silverware. With Messi’s calm leadership, De Paul’s engine, and Busquets’ brain, Inter Miami have a formula that travels. The Whitecaps learned that the hard way on Saturday night.

Final Whistle

Inter Miami’s first MLS Cup was a team win led by a timeless star. The 3-1 score over Vancouver Whitecaps came from patience, skill, and a pair of Messi assists that will live long in Miami highlights. It is a crowning moment for the club and another stone in Messi’s already towering legacy.

From here, the stage only gets bigger. MLS has its parity. Inter Miami has its champion’s spine. And Lionel Messi has yet another chapter written in bright pink.