Overview
- Inter Miami and the Vancouver Whitecaps advanced with first-ever conference titles to set up Saturday’s MLS Cup in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area.
- Miami beat New York City FC 5–1 in the East final behind a Tadeo Allende hat-trick, with Messi assisting as the Herons extended a 17–4 playoff goal differential.
- Vancouver won the West final 3–1 at San Diego, powered by a Brian White brace plus a Pablo Sisniega own goal.
- Thomas Müller said Miami may lean more on Messi than Vancouver does on him, even as he praised Messi’s impact and the matchup’s appeal to viewers.
- Messi has directly contributed to 11 goals across five postseason games, while Müller — who joined in August — has nine goals and four assists in 12 appearances, and he leads the historical head-to-head with Messi seven wins to three in 10 meetings.