Inter Miami downs Vancouver to lift 2025 MLS Cup

Vancouver was deflated, but it grew back into the game and delivered a blow of its own in the second half. Winger Emmanuel Sabbi pulled off a gorgeous, slaloming run through the center of the park to set up Ali Ahmed on the left wing. Ahmed scuffed his shot, but it bounced off Miami keeper Rocco Rios-Novo and off the crossbar to ping into the net.

Ocampo's foot and Ríos Novo's crossbar: those were the tiny margins that tipped the game in each team's favor.

The "bodyguard" became the hero

With everything balanced on a knife's edge, it was a moment of brilliance from an Argentina legend that decided the match—maybe not the Argentina legend everyone was expecting.

Midfielder Rodrigo De Paul  joined Inter Miami in August after a storied spell with Atletico Madrid in Spain. He took a while to settle in MLS, but he looked better in this final than he had all season, and he delivered the knockout punch that sealed the game for Miami. Messi fed him the ball through Vancouver's penalty box and set him up for a high-pressure shot.

De Paul isn't known as a goalscorer. He tends to sit deeper, breaking up opposition plays and protecting his attackers from threats. He's known as Messi's "bodyguard" in Argentina because he's more likely to be found helping his friend than creating attacks of his own. He deserved this moment in the spotlight...and now that he's comfortable in MLS, he's set to have an absolutely ripping season in 2026.

A fond farewell for Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets

There wasn't just a trophy on the line in this final: there were two legendary careers, too. Defender Jordi Alba and midfielder Sergio Busquets entered this match knowing it would be their last as professional players.

What a way to go out. Alba played one of his strongest games in years, setting up Allende for the final goal of the match. And Busquets? After being marked out of the game in the first half, he stormed back into relevance in the second, making several crucial defensive plays to keep Miami competitive during periods of Vancouver dominance. They both leave this sport as deserved champions.

Foundations for the future

Miami and Vancouver are two very different franchises, but they did have one thing in common in 2025: debutant coaches. Both Javier Mascherano and Jesper Sorensen entered the MLS last winter with no league experience.

MLS is notoriously difficult from a coaching perspective; its rules, regulations and quirks make it tough for newcomers to parse. Mascherano and Sorensen's learning curves this season were nothing short of miraculous.

Top players like Messi will lift MLS's level for a while, but top coaches like Mascherano and Sorensen will lift it for good. It was fitting that this final turned out to be a showcase for their talents: the league is lucky to have them both.