Lionel Messi's legacy was long secured when he came to Inter Miami and joined Major League Soccer. He'd won a World Cup, won dozens of trophies, was generally considered the greatest player in the sport's history.

He didn't need an MLS Cup. But he wanted one — and got it.

Messi and Inter Miami have completed their ascent, beating the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 on Saturday in the MLS Cup final for the franchise's first championship. It came 2 1/2 years after the legend arrived in South Florida, a move that stunned plenty of onlookers at the time.

Lionel Messi of Inter Miami CF celebrates winning the MLS Cup Final over the Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Chase Stadium on Dec. 6, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Rich Storry / Getty Images

He set up the title-clinching goal with a 72nd-minute a

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