Inter Miami defeats Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 to win its first MLS Cup

george vancouver Whitecaps fans heartbroken after MLS transfuse net red ink

'Vancouver is a great city for soccer': Whitecaps coach

Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi raises the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy after beating the Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS Cup final.

Inter Miami midfielder Rodrigo de Paul, #7, celebrates after scoring a goal against the Vancouver Whitecaps in the second half.

Tadeo Allende celebrates with Messi after scoring the Miami's third goal. Their team beat Vancouver 3-1.

Vancouver Whitecaps' Brian White reacts after today's loss.

Messi, left, speaks with Müller, centre, during today's match.

Whitecaps defender Édier Ocampo, right, deflects the ball into his own net to give Miami an early lead.

Ali Ahmed celebrates scoring the equalizer for the Whitecaps.

Messi turns past Whitecaps midfielder Andrés Cubas.

The finest margins can win or lose games. The Whitecaps just fell foul of that soccer cliché.

You could argue that Ríos Novo could have done better with Ahmed's shot that gave Vancouver the tying goal and a surge in momentum. Just minutes later, Sabbi's shot ricocheted off both posts and away when it could have just as easily given the Whitecaps a 2-1 lead.

Then there’s Cubas' momentary lapse in concentration that let Messi in for a killer assist, feeding the ball to his 2022 World Cup-winning teammate De Paul for the winning goal.

Vancouver matched Miami today — and sometimes dominated play. But those brief moments and star players can make all the difference.

We're finishing up our live coverage of today's big game. You can find more stories at cbc.ca/news.

Things are looking altogether rosier for Inter Miami, with the club on track to move to a new stadium in the city proper next year.

Today the club finally claimed the prize that had eluded it since it joined the MLS in 2020 — and which it aimed to achieve by investing in one of the sport's greatest ever players.

Lionel Messi has now extended his record as the most decorated player in soccer history, with today's win marking his 48th team trophy. The MLS Cup might not quite hit the heights of the World Cup, the Copa América or the UEFA Champions League, but Messi must now feel vindicated in moving to the U.S. For the tail-end of his career.

"The MLS Cup was the ultimate prize … this is the moment that I've been waiting for and we as a team have been waiting for," he told an MLS reporter in translation after the game.

Müller will have to wait a little longer for another chance to add to his list of titles. There were no fireworks between the two legends tonight, but you can be sure their rivalry has cranked up a notch and will add a little spice to their meetings in the MLS next season.

In his post-game news conference, Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano, as coaches so often do, spoke in measured tones about his team’s performance and the challenges they faced.

As Mascherano told reporters in Spanish that the final was “a complicated game,” three Inter Miami players, including goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo, decided to crash the party, pouring bottles of what Getty Images described as Michelob Ultra over their coach.

After the players left the room chanting “Dale campeon!” Mascherano, not missing a beat, continued talking to reporters about the details of the game.

'Vancouver is a great city for soccer': Whitecaps coach

Vancouver Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sørensen said he wants to see the club remain in the city following their successful 2025 season. Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber said on Thursday he wouldn't rule out moving the team unless improvements were made to BC Place.

While the Whitecaps had a successful season on the pitch, there have been questions about the team’s future.

The team’s owners announced almost one year ago that they were preparing to sell the club.

The ‘Caps have explored the possibility of a new stadium in Vancouver, with league commissioner Don Garber recently telling media about the possibility of “tough decisions” in the future, according to a report from ESPN.

According to The Canadian Press, Garber planned a visit to Vancouver last month to meet with business leaders and public officials, in an effort to ensure the Whitecaps’ success in the city is “sustainable long term.”

Sørensen, for his part, said he and his players love the city.

“We want to be in Vancouver. We want to play for Vancouver,” he said today. “Vancouver is a great city for soccer and we’re proud of playing for Vancouver.”

Sørensen complimented his squad for the season it's had, which saw them compete in three cup finals.

“Today, obviously, we cry, but I think what is important is that it’s proud tears,” he said.

He said the team should be proud of the excitement they’ve created in Vancouver, but acknowledged the disappointment they’re all feeling.

“When you reach out for something, it hurts even more when you don’t get it.”

“When you play a final like this, you know it will be decided in a few moments. And those moments, [Miami] took them well,” he said.

Sørensen said his team played well, but admits they “made a few mistakes.”

“[Miami] took advantage of them, and their players are really good at taking advantage.”

No surprise here: Messi has been named MVP of today’s match. The Argentine football legend logged two assists in today’s final, including the critical go-ahead goal from De Paul.

Miami players gather around Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, who just played the final game of their illustrious careers.

The win marks Inter Miami’s first MLS title. The team looked to bounce back from its playoff disappointment of last season, which saw them lose in the first round to Atlanta FC.

Speaking to Apple TV, team co-owner David Beckham gave credit to the Whitecaps, saying they “put us under a lot of pressure.”

“They were on top of us a little bit,” Beckham said.

But he credited Inter Miami for sticking together in the face of pressure.

“They’ve done that all year.”

There are a lot of solemn faces as fans file out of the stadium in Vancouver.

Chris Wright, who lives in the city, tells me he believes this is just the start of something new for the Whitecaps, and thinks the team will win the cup next year.

“They played a good game. Sometimes it’s just a matter of luck in football,” he said.

The energy inside was electric throughout the back and forth match. But the result ultimately left the crowd of Whitecaps supporters heartbroken.

Still, one thing we heard from fans throughout our time here in Florida is that they're proud of the team's success this season.

I'll be hitting the streets to chat with fans directly in the aftermath of tonight's matchup.

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