Inter Miami to Face Vancouver Whitecaps in MLS Cup Final

World men's tennis number one Carlos Alcaraz was in Florida to watch Lionel Messi and his team, Inter Miami, win the Eastern Conference title. Messi assisted in Inter Miami's 5-1 victory over New York City, with Tadeo Allende scoring a hat-trick, securing the Eastern Conference title.

In the Western Conference final, the Vancouver Whitecaps, led by former Germany and Bayern Munich forward Thomas Muller, defeated San Diego FC 3-1 to claim the conference title. This sets up an MLS Cup final between Inter Miami and the Whitecaps on Saturday, 6 December, marking the first appearance for both teams in the final.

Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano praised Messi as "extraordinary" for his performance in the win against New York City. Messi contributed to the victory with an assist, bringing his total goal contributions in the MLS Cup play-offs to a record 13, with six goals and seven assists.

Mascherano, who played alongside Messi for Argentina and Barcelona, lauded Messi's skills, stating, "Leo has accustomed us to the extraordinary. He's someone extraordinary, someone we'll never see again."

The Vancouver Whitecaps, who defeated Inter Miami in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup semi-finals, secured their spot in the MLS Cup final by comfortably beating San Diego FC. Muller, who has scored eight goals in 11 MLS appearances since joining the Whitecaps, emphasized that the final is about the teams, not individual players.