​Messi: "After Coming to Inter Miami, Winning the Championship Became One of Our Goals Here"

December 7 – In the early hours of this morning Beijing time, after helping Inter Miami defeat the Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS Cup Playoffs final to win the championship and being named MVP, Lionel Messi spoke to reporters in a post-match interview.

Messi, three years ago you decided to come to MLS, and today you’ve become a champion. What’s going through your mind right now? 
Messi: "There’s not much special, honestly, just a lot of happiness. Because this was one of the goals we set when we came here. When we first arrived, we quickly won the Leagues Cup. This year, we had an excellent season and were competitive in all the tournaments we played. We reached the Leagues Cup final again, and we made it to the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions League. Last year we finished first in the regular season but were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, so this year winning the MLS Cup was one of our objectives. The team put in an incredible effort. It was a very, very long year, with a lot of matches one after another, but the team maintained a high level throughout the year."

We talked this week about how special it would be to send off Alba and Busquets with this trophy, and you’ve now done it. How does that feel? 
Messi: "It’s happiness, happiness for what we’ve achieved together, and happiness for the two of them. Honestly, for everyone, it’s incredibly beautiful that they’re ending their careers this way. They deserve it. As players, they’re among the greatest, even among the greatest in history in their positions. Their long careers and all the trophies they’ve won allow them to retire with this MLS Cup. I think they haven’t fully realized yet what they’re experiencing – retiring. And today is the perfect closing of a beautiful chapter for them, dedicating their whole lives to football. Now they’ll start a new chapter in their lives. I’ll always wish them the best; they’re two great friends, and I love them very much from the heart. So yes, very happy that they’re leaving with this trophy."

About Vancouver’s performance – they were this year’s Eastern Conference champions and put a lot of pressure on you during the match. 
Messi: "They have a quality team overall and played a great match. They competed in all tournaments throughout the year, and it was them who eliminated us from the CONCACAF Champions League. Since Müller joined the team, they’ve changed their system significantly, giving them more structure in attack and defense. In the match, we took advantage of a good moment to score the 2-1 goal. At that point, they were pressing us high, pinning us in our half, and we were patient, looking for opportunities to counterattack."

Other highlights from Inter Miami’s 2025 season.  
Messi: "Our goal was to elevate the club to the highest level, which is a big challenge given the club’s short history. In the Club World Cup, we exceeded expectations, and that deserves recognition. Playing in the Club World Cup was a beautiful experience for me, although most other teams were in their offseason while we were in the middle of competitions."

The team’s extensive travel throughout the season – is that another important aspect you want to emphasize? 
Messi: "We traveled a lot this season. The distances here are long, and the trips are tough. We went to places like Vancouver and Los Angeles, with flights taking six or seven hours one way. But now we’ll focus on preseason, starting from zero again, to prepare for the new season."

Source: MLS Official Website