Messi speaks out after being named MVP of MLS Cup

The MLS Cup final featured Lionel Messi as its standout player. Throughout the entire 2025 MLS season he carried Inter Miami and was instrumental in the Herons winning the most important match of the year, securing the most significant title in the club’s history.

Three years after his arrival in 2023, Messi lifted his third trophy with Inter Miami, yet this one carries particular weight. The MLS Cup, which had eluded him in his first two seasons in American football, now strengthens his legacy and hints at what appears inevitable.

Following Inter Miami’s title celebrations, MLS named Messi the MVP of the 2025 MLS Cup, an award recognising the best player in the final. His performance in the victory over the Whitecaps fully justified the recognition, as all three of Miami’s goals came through his direct involvement, with two assists and a key role in the move that led to Allende’s first-half goal.

“It was one of our goals when we arrived”

In an interview with Apple TV after receiving the MVP award, Messi highlighted the team’s collective work and described the championship as a target he had pursued since arriving at the club: “It was one of our goals when we arrived here. We were able to win the Leagues Cup when we first arrived. This year we had a great year and competed in every competition we played in, we reached a Leagues Cup final again, we played in the CONCACAF Champions League semi-finals. Last year we finished first in the league and unfortunately we were knocked out in the first round, but this year this was one of our goals and the team made a huge effort and rose to the occasion throughout the year,” Messi explained.

This appears to be a preview of what we will see in the coming days, as it seems almost certain that Messi will be named the MVP of the 2025 MLS season, a distinction he is set to win for the second consecutive year.

With this achievement, Messi will close out a remarkable 2025 and begin preparing for another run at trophies in a pivotal year for him. In 2026 his main objective is the World Cup, although important competitions also await with Inter Miami, including the Campeones Cup and the Concacaf Champions Cup.