Inter Miami and the Vancouver Whitecaps reach the MLS Cup Final, setting up a compelling clash where two global icons and longtime European rivals meet once again: Lionel Messi and Thomas Muller. As anticipation builds, one question naturally resurfaces—what is the head-to-head record between these two legends?
Messi and Muller have faced each other 10 times across club and international competitions. The record currently favors the German star, who has won seven of those meetings, while Messi has claimed the remaining three. Their battles span more than a decade of high-stakes moments and some of the most memorable matches in modern soccer.
At the club level, all of their meetings came in the UEFA Champions League, with Muller representing Bayern Munich and Messi playing for Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. In six encounters, Muller won five, including the historic 8–2 result that marked the toughest defeat of Messi’s career. Messi’s lone club victory came in the 2014–15 semifinal, a 3–0 win that eventually led Barcelona to lift the Champions League trophy.
On the international stage, the record is even at two wins each. However, the weight of those results differs significantly: Muller and Germany claimed victories in the 2010 World Cup quarterfinals and the 2014 World Cup final, while Messi and Argentina earned their wins in friendlies. In short, the German holds a commanding edge in competitive matches. Messi now looks to close that gap and cement another chapter in his legacy.
Lionel Messi and Thomas Müller during the 2014 World Cup final.
Messi’s recent record against Muller and the Whitecaps
Muller has won the last four head-to-head meetings between the two stars, and Messi’s recent record against Vancouver brings little comfort. He has faced the Whitecaps twice in his career—both in the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals—and lost both times. On Saturday, the Inter Miami captain aims to flip the script.
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How did they reach the final?
On Saturday, November 30, Inter Miami secured their place in the final by winning the Eastern Conference title with a commanding 5–1 victory over New York City FC. Later that night, the Whitecaps followed suit, defeating San Diego FC 3–1 at Snapdragon Stadium, setting up another high-profile showdown between Messi and Muller.
Now, Messi and Thomas Muller meet again as rivals, this time with Inter Miami hosting the 2025 MLS Cup Final against the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday, December 6. With another trophy at stake, the Argentine and German superstars are set to write a new chapter in one of the most compelling individual matchups of their era.
