Messi sends a 'challenge' message to Muller ahead of the 2025 MLS final

05/12/2025 11:42:00 VictoryVox

Lionel Messi spoke out before the 2025 MLS Cup final, expressing his eagerness to face Thomas Muller and describing Vancouver Whitecaps as one of the toughest challenges of the season.

Lionel Messi is preparing for his first-ever MLS Cup final as Inter Miami takes on Vancouver Whitecaps this weekend. In a press statement, Inter Miami’s captain emphasized his respect for Thomas Muller and highlighted their reunion as a key highlight of the match.

Messi noted that Muller’s arrival in MLS has created significant excitement for the league: “First of all, it’s fantastic that Muller came to MLS and has had such a positive impact. It’s great that this final is happening and that we get to face each other again.”

The Argentine forward also recalled Miami’s loss to Vancouver in the CONCACAF Champions Cup and warned about the difficulty of the final: “We’ve played against Vancouver and know how strong they are. They’ve been consistent throughout the season. Having Muller makes this game even tougher.”

Messi gửi lời 'tuyên chiến' đến Muller trước thềm chung kết MLS 2025 753952 — Messi praises Muller’s role at Vancouver ahead of the final

Messi described Vancouver as a deep and stable team competing strongly across multiple tournaments simultaneously: “They’ve consistently been among the top teams this season, reaching the late stages in many competitions. This will be a very tough match and we have to be ready.”

Besides Muller, Messi also mentioned the possibility of Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets ending their careers with an MLS Cup title: “That would be very special for them and for everyone. If they can finish their careers with one more trophy, it will be a beautiful memory.”

On Vancouver’s side, Thomas Muller — who has won 7 out of 10 past encounters against Messi — also shared his thoughts after their Western Conference final win over San Diego. The German forward said: “This is the final I’ve been looking forward to. Facing the greatest player in football history makes everything more exciting.”

Messi gửi lời 'tuyên chiến' đến Muller trước thềm chung kết MLS 2025 753953 — Messi has often been defeated when facing Muller in the past

He also admitted that Inter Miami relies on Messi more than Vancouver relies on him: “Maybe they trust him more than this team trusts me.”

The 2025 MLS Cup final will be a rare reunion between two World Cup champions and marks the first time Messi and Muller meet in a club final since their famous Champions League clashes.

Inter Miami aims for their first MLS Cup title, while Vancouver Whitecaps seek the highest achievement in the club’s history. The match will take place early Sunday morning, December 7th, at 2:30 AM Vietnam time.

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