Miami’s maiden MLS Cup title caps off a long ambitious project

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — Seconds after the final whistle rang, “La Gozadera” by Gente De Zona immediately began to echo throughout the speakers of Chase Stadium as Inter Miami triumphed 3-1 over Vancouver Whitecaps at the 2025 MLS Cup.

With pink smoke filling the air of Fort Lauderdale and multi-colored confetti blasting into the air, team captain Lionel Messi hoisted the MLS Cup alongside Miami players to make club history.

Tears streamed down most players’ faces, each with a different backstory behind the universal emotion. For some, it represented coming back from a difficult injury to earn a spot in the starting 11, while for others, the tears signified a new chapter in their career.

Then, a familiar moment later emerged on the pitch, as longtime teammates Messi, Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba embraced each other with the euphoria of being crowned champions together one final time.

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The four danced together in a circle, jumping up and down as teammates slowly incorporated to erupt in a massive celebration. Players sang, danced and let go of the expectations of a 58-game season.

With a happy ending that could only be previously illustrated by Walt Disney himself, Inter Miami now waves goodbye to Alba and Busquets as the two Spaniards ride into the retirement sunset with one last trophy in hand.

Miami’s triumph on Saturday stands as a reward for a team that head coach Javier Mascherano previously labeled “resilient,” as each member of the club made the necessary sacrifices and stepped up to reach the cup. As a unified front, each member did their part to achieve the ultimate goal.

“I think the players have had the strength to bounce back from every tough moment we’ve experienced this season. We’re heading into the final match on Saturday, it’s all or nothing. I think it’s a great reward for the work the players have put in throughout the year, for what they’ve accomplished as a group. And well, the main course is on Saturday. It will all come down to how much we want to win it. So let’s hope we wake up very hungry on Saturday,” said Mascherano on Thursday.

And Inter Miami feasted.

A season that started with doubts, but fixed itself

The 2025 season kicked off with massive expectations and criticism surrounding Miami after the team hired Mascherano as head coach, a manager with no previous club experience. Mascherano went from identifying young players with the Argentina youth national teams to harnessing the power of some of the game’s greatest figures at Inter Miami to lift previously unattainable trophies.

With the weight of coaching his former teammates and longtime friends on his shoulders, Mascherano set out to prove himself and bring glory to Fort Lauderdale.

Years ago, Mascherano said, “one learns more in the losses than in the triumphs. Victories tend to deform the situation.”

And he went on to learn from a Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal elimination against the Vancouver Whitecaps, losing the Leagues Cup final against the Seattle Sounders and falling in the round of 16 of the FIFA Club World Cup.

With one trophy left to play for, Mascherano made sure to apply each lesson from the previous losses. But the most important of the season came in the form of a one-game suspension for Suárez in the decisive final game of the Round One series against Nashville SC. Throughout the year, his starting trident rarely changed. The wingers may have varied as players went through injury spells, but the dynamic duo of Suárez and Messi stood as a staple of the 2025 season through every tournament.

But Mascherano was forced to adapt as his veteran forward sat out one of the most important games of the year. With the team looking to avoid the ridicule of being eliminated in the first round of playoffs for the second consecutive time with Messi on the roster and the hopes of a trophy relying on one game, Mascherano incorporated newly signed Mateo Silvetti into the lineup.

The initial change came by force of a suspension, but the subsequent games served as a lesson learned by Mascherano. Following the final Round One match, the coach maintained Suárez on the bench and went on to record a 4-0 victory against FC Cincinnati and a 5-1 triumph over New York City FC to win the Eastern Conference final for the first time in club history.

“Clearly, for me, it’s not an easy decision when you have to take off a player like Luis, with his track record, with the importance he has for the team and the club,” the coach said.

Despite the difficulty of the decision, Mascherano stepped up and stood his ground. Suárez kicked off the MLS Cup on the bench, like the previous two knockout matches, and did not see time on the pitch. Instead, Mascherano prioritizes the needs of the game by including Yannick Bright and others, rather than substituting Suárez into a game he didn’t feel required his skillset to win.

Mascherano, who communicated to his players from the sidelines with instructions and encouragement, evolved from a nervous, newly appointed coach engulfed by expectations into the necessary leader who proved willing to do whatever was necessary to reach success.

And he wasn’t the only one to make sacrifices at Inter Miami. Players quickly followed the path of their coach by learning and evolving from each passing game, understanding that it takes everyone to win.

Team depth proves to be vital

Suárez, a world-renowned player, went from an undoubted starter to a bench player in the span of one week during the most important part of the season.

But the player decided with grace, no matter how difficult internally.

“I always want to play. Throughout my career, I’ve almost always had the opportunity to play, but, with the maturity I have now, you understand the situation, you understand the reason and the plan that the coach has for a match like the one against FC Cincinnati, and you do it well without any problems,” he said to ESPN.

“It was about conveying to those who were on the field to give their maximum, and then there were seven or eight of us waiting with the same energy as them because we are a group. Obviously, you want to play more than you get to play, but that’s how it is. It’s about training, giving more, and showing the coach that you can play more than 10 or 15 minutes, as I’ve been doing.”

His reaction proved crucial, according to Mascherano.

“He has shown the greatness he possesses as a player and as a person because we know that many times when you have to make these decisions,” said Mascherano. “It can be difficult for the other person to understand, and the truth is that he has been a clear example of his commitment to what he wants for the team, for the group, and he has sent a great message to his teammates above all.”

Messi proved his commitment to the team by prioritizing Inter Miami’s schedule, even if it meant not participating in an Argentina national team friendly in Miami. The MLS schedule did not pause for the October international window, coinciding with an Argentina friendly against Venezuela at Hard Rock Stadium.

By that point in the season, Inter Miami had already qualified for the postseason with the Eastern Conference standings and home advantage at stake only. Still, Messi failed to participate against Venezuela and wore the pink Herons jersey one day later against Atlanta United.

“Clearly Leo was predisposed to playing [with Miami] even though he trained with the national team all week,” said Mascherano in October. “We know he’s a player that is totally special and unique. Beyond not training with us, we saw what he did today. He helped us win. It was an important win because it clinched us the third-place finish [in the Eastern Conference table.]”

Without that victory, Inter Miami would’ve concluded the season with 62 points, one behind the Whitecaps, which would’ve given the Canadian team the home-field advantage for MLS Cup.

Messi continued to prove his leadership through sacrifices at various points in the season on and off the field, even playing through injuries and fatigue to be a part of the team.

Players like Oscar Ustari also played a role, going from starting goalkeeper to supporting Rocco Ríos Novo as Miami’s new goalkeeper. The veteran keeper made the decision well, encouraging his younger counterpart in this new stage.

Mascherano continuously echoed the same message throughout the year: it takes all of us.

“It’s not only the 11 who start that are important, but also the rest of the team. Especially in these kinds of stages, the most important thing is that everyone has to be alert because we’re going to need everyone,” he said.

And together, the team lifted the cup.