Lionel Messi Wins The 2025 MLS Cup with Inter Miami
Lionel Messi has conquered another title with Inter Miami after defeating the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 at Chase Stadium in to win the 2025 MLS Cup final. In this manner, the Argentine added a new trophy to his collection with the Florida club.
This triumph marks an astonishing transformation for Inter Miami CF, a franchise that was mired at the very bottom of the Major League Soccer standings when Lionel Messi—the eight-time Ballon d’Or recipient and arguably the greatest player of all time—arrived in South Florida in July 2023 in what remains the most seismic signing the league has ever seen.
The MLS Cup victory represents the 44th major trophy of Messi’s incomparable senior career, and he was rightfully crowned the match’s Most Valuable Player for his decisive influence on the final. In just over two full seasons with the club, the Argentine maestro has already delivered three pieces of silverware: the 2023 Leagues Cup (Miami’s first-ever title), the 2024 Supporters’ Shield for the best regular-season record, and now the ultimate prize—the MLS Cup itself.For a team that only came into existence in 2020 under the vision and ownership of David Beckham, lifting the championship in front of a euphoric home crowd caps a meteoric rise from expansion side to league champion in record time. What once seemed an impossible dream when the club was scraping together points and battling relegation whispers has become a glittering reality: Inter Miami, powered by Messi’s genius, are the kings of Major League Soccer.
“A beautiful, emotional moment for us, for the people of Miami, to be able to achieve the MLS objective,” Messi told ESPN. “It’s a very new club, so to speak. When we played before, we were lucky enough to win a title, but this was the real objective, to win MLS and be at the top of the American league, and luckily we achieved it.
“We were fortunate to play at home, a huge joy for the people, so we have to enjoy it.”
Now Inter Miami becomes the 16th franchise in the league’s 30-year history to win an MLS title. This extends a run of parity for MLS, which has seen five different franchises win championships in the past five years and eight franchises claim a title in the past nine seasons — only Columbus has won twice in that span.
