Lionel Messi will look to lead Inter Miami to their first MLS Cup title in club history after they defeated New York City FC 5-1 in Fort Lauderdale in the Conference Final. Tadeo Allende was the big hero of the night, scoring a hat trick that gave the Herons their first passage to the MLS Cup final in their history.
Inter Miami will play the 2025 MLS Cup final on Saturday, December 6th, at Chase Stadium against the Vancouver Whitecaps, who beat San Diego FC in the other Conference Final.
Javier Mascherano’s team entered Chase Stadium determined to reach its first MLS Cup final and avoid falling in front of their home crowd. This intent was immediately reflected in Inter Miami’s intense pressing during the opening minutes, which paid off when Tadeo Allende scored the first goal in the 14th minute.
After striking first, the Herons capitalized on their momentum, and barely ten minutes later, Allende scored again with a strong header to extend the Inter Miami lead. Just when everything seemed rosy, Maxi Moralez delivered a superb cross for Justin Haak to score the goal that pulled one back for New York City FC.
However, the entire second half belonged to the home side. They capitalized on every opportunity they had, with Mateo Silvetti, Telasco Segovia, and finally, Allende again, scoring to seal the dominant victory.
Lionel Messi chasing his first MLS Cup title
The Argentine superstar faces an unparalleled opportunity to conquer his first MLS Cup title. Since his arrival in Miami in 2023, Messi has already secured the Leagues Cup title in 2023 and the Supporters’ Shield in 2024.
However, the captain still has a few trophies remaining to complete his haul with Inter Miami. The MLS Cup is one of them, which he can secure this Saturday, December 6th, when Inter Miami host the decisive final match.
Additionally, Messi is also missing a Concacaf Champions Cup title, as Inter Miami were eliminated in the semifinals this year by the Vancouver Whitecaps. The other pending trophy for the Argentine is the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, where Inter Miami reached the final in 2023 but fell to the Houston Dynamo in a match that Messi missed due to injury.