Messi chases MLS crown in crucial final for Inter Miami | OneFootball

Two years of magic, packed stadiums, and a multitude of goals culminate this Saturday for Lionel Messi in his much-anticipated first MLS final, where Inter Miami is competing for much more than just a title.

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The ambitions of the young franchise — always declared by David Beckham and the management — largely depend on a victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps, in a decision played in front of their fans at Chase Stadium (7:30 PM GMT).

A triumph would fulfill the promise made in 2023, when Miami attracted the most popular player on the planet by betting on transforming North American soccer. It would also be a golden farewell for Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, Messi's companions in this adventure in the United States, marked by more frustrations than achievements.

Without the Spaniards — who are retiring after the final — Inter begins a new era in 2026, with the inauguration of Miami Freedom Park, which the club dreams of opening with their Argentine captain lifting the championship trophy.

This winning vision, however, could crumble if the Whitecaps, now led by German Thomas Müller, are the ones celebrating on Saturday — a player known for spoiling Messi's big nights.

In this scenario, Inter would end the second consecutive year without adding to their trophy gallery, which only includes the 2023 Leagues Cup, and would hardly justify their 50 million dollar payroll, the highest in the league and about 30 million above that of modest Vancouver.

The pressure already took its toll in the Leagues Cup final in August, when Luis Suárez and other players got into a heated argument with rivals after the 3-0 defeat to the Seattle Sounders.

A battle between champions

The reunion between Messi and Müller adds even more anticipation to the most media-covered final in MLS history, just six months before the World Cup lands in North America.

The former Bayern Munich striker, signed by Vancouver in August, was part of one of the biggest traumas in Messi's career: Germany's victory over Argentina in the 2014 World Cup final. He was also a protagonist, scoring two goals, in the historic 8-2 victory by Bayern over Barcelona in the 2020 Champions League — a bitter night for Messi, Alba, and Busquets.

Müller further elevates the threat of the Whitecaps, who had already dominated Inter in the semifinals of the Concacaf Champions Cup even before his arrival.

“We know it will be a very tough game, and the fact that Müller joined that team makes it even better, gives it more hierarchy and play,” said Messi in an interview released by MLS on Thursday. “It's great that this final could happen and that we will face each other again.”

With Müller for Vancouver and Messi, Busquets, and Rodrigo De Paul for Inter, it's guaranteed: for the first time, a world champion will lift the MLS trophy.

Mascherano finds the formula

Even dealing with a calf problem, Müller has lived up to expectations at 36 years old, with eight goals in 11 games.

Messi, however, remains at an unreachable level in MLS, even at 38 years old. He won his first Golden Boot of the league, with 29 goals in 28 rounds, and appears as the big favorite for a second MVP award.

In the playoffs, the number 10 carried Inter with six goals in five knockout matches.

With Messi's fierce competitiveness intact, Inter reached its peak at the end of the season thanks to the bold decisions of Javier Mascherano, especially the choice to bench Suárez in favor of the young Argentine prospect Mateo Silvetti.

With the speedy Silvetti and the inspired Tadeo Allende taking advantage of Messi's assists, Miami surged to the final by winning their last three games by a four-goal difference.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.