{"id":4604,"date":"2025-12-07T09:53:39","date_gmt":"2025-12-07T09:53:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/?p=4604"},"modified":"2025-12-07T09:53:39","modified_gmt":"2025-12-07T09:53:39","slug":"lionel-messi-inter-miami-defeat-vancouver-to-win-first-mls-cup-title-football-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/?p=4604","title":{"rendered":"Lionel Messi, Inter Miami defeat Vancouver to win first MLS Cup title | Football News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p class=\"article__subhead\"><em>The Argentinian super star capped off his third Major League Soccer season with the 47th trophy of his career.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-dates\">\n<p><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Published On 7 Dec 2025<\/span><span aria-hidden=\"true\">7 Dec 2025<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rich-share\" data-testid=\"rich-share\">\n<div class=\"rich-share__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"rich-share__button-wrapper\"><button class=\"rich-share__button row\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><\/p>\n<p>Click here to share on social media<\/p>\n<p><svg class=\"icon icon--share2 icon--primary icon--16 \" viewbox=\"0 0 20 16\" version=\"1.1\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><title>share2<\/title><path fill=\"#000\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M11.688 9.048c-.659 0-1.252.282-1.673.733l-4.92-2.45c.016-.115.028-.232.028-.352 0-.117-.011-.23-.027-.343l4.913-2.423a2.285 2.285 0 0 0 1.68.739C12.964 4.952 14 3.899 14 2.6 14 1.302 12.965.25 11.688.25S9.377 1.302 9.377 2.601c0 .117.01.23.027.343L4.49 5.367a2.285 2.285 0 0 0-1.68-.739C1.536 4.628.5 5.681.5 6.979c0 1.299 1.035 2.35 2.312 2.35.659 0 1.252-.281 1.673-.731l4.92 2.45a2.357 2.357 0 0 0-.029.351c0 1.299 1.035 2.351 2.312 2.351S14 12.698 14 11.399s-1.035-2.35-2.312-2.35Z\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"rich-share__social-text\">Share<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div aria-live=\"polite\" aria-atomic=\"true\">\n<p>Inter Miami secured their first Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup crown on Saturday, beating the Vancouver Whitecaps 3\u20131 at Chase Stadium as Rodrigo De Paul and Tadeo Allende struck late from a pair of Lionel Messi assists.<\/p>\n<p>Despite Thomas Mueller driving a Vancouver side that controlled long stretches and created the better chances, the final ultimately swung on the Argentinian\u2019s influence, as he secured his first MLS league title and capped his finest season on United States soil.<\/p>\n<section class=\"more-on\">\n<h2 class=\"more-on__heading\">Recommended Stories<!-- --> <\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">list of 4 items<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">end of list<\/span><\/section>\n<p>\u201cThis was one of our main goals,\u201d Messi, who was named MVP, said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLast year we finished first in the league and unfortunately we were knocked out in the first round. The MLS was the ultimate prize. The team put in a tremendous effort and rose to the occasion,\u201d the 38-year-old added.<\/p>\n<p>Miami opened the scoring in the eighth minute when Messi slipped Allende into space and the winger\u2019s low cross deflected off Vancouver defender Edier Ocampo and into his own net.<\/p>\n<p>Vancouver kept control of the ball after the break and finally made it count on the hour mark when Ali Ahmed drove into the box and fired a low shot that Rios Novo reached but could not keep out, the ball rolling over the line to bring the visitors level.<\/p>\n<p>Miami restored their lead in the 71st minute when Messi pounced on a loose Vancouver touch and slid the ball across the box for Rodrigo De Paul, who swept his finish past Yohei Takaoka to cap the move with trademark composure.<\/p>\n<p>The hosts sealed the title deep into stoppage time when Messi threaded a pass to Allende, prompting emotional scenes with Jordi Alba in tears as he and Sergio Busquets \u2013 longtime friends and former Barcelona teammates \u2013 closed out their final match.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m happy for them. Finishing their careers this way is very nice for everyone,\u201d Messi said of his teammates.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSomething very beautiful is coming to an end for them, something to which they have devoted their entire lives. I wish them all the best. They are two friends whom I love very much, and I am happy that they can leave with this title.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4156552\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4156552\" style=\"width:770px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-arc-image-770 wp-image-4156552\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25340754826016-1765090632.jpg?w=770&amp;resize=770%2C513&amp;quality=80\" alt=\"Lionel Messi and Thomas Mueller in action.\" fetchpriority=\"low\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4156552\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi, left, runs with the ball as Vancouver Whitecaps forward Thomas Mueller defends during the MLS Cup final match [Lynne Sladky\/AP]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"joy-for-beckham\">Joy for Beckham<\/h2>\n<p>David Beckham, the club\u2019s co-owner and longtime architect of Miami\u2019s project, joined the on-field celebrations after the final whistle.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAll credit to Vancouver, they played a great game and put us under a lot of pressure. After their goal they were on top of us,\u201d the former England captain said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen you give the ball to Leo (Messi), he creates chances. The team stuck together, and they\u2019ve done that all year.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He added that the path to the title had been anything but smooth: \u201cThere were a lot of sleepless nights. I always believed in Miami and in bringing a team here\u2026 We promised our fans we\u2019d bring the best players and bring success. Next year is a new year and we go again \u2013 but tonight, we celebrate.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4156559\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4156559\" style=\"width:770px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-arc-image-770 wp-image-4156559\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AFP__20251206__87C33UP__v1__HighRes__FootballFinaleDeLaMlsEntreLInterMiamiEtLesVanco-1765090753.jpg?w=770&amp;resize=770%2C513&amp;quality=80\" alt=\"Lionel Messi and teammates react.\" fetchpriority=\"low\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4156559\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Inter Miami\u2019s Lionel Messi, centre, holds up the trophy as the team celebrates winning their maiden MLS Cup final [Chandan Khanna\/AFP]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Argentinian super star capped off his third Major League Soccer season with the 47th trophy of his career. Published On 7 Dec 20257 Dec 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Inter Miami secured their first Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup crown on Saturday, beating the Vancouver Whitecaps 3\u20131 at Chase [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4605,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4604","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-us-canada-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4604","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4604"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4604\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4605"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4604"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4604"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4604"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}