FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Thomas Muller has often had the upper hand in his long-standing rivalry with Lionel Messi.
The German star has won seven of the 10 head-to-head matches between the two sides, and his team has twice eliminated Messi and Argentina from the World Cup.
But on Saturday, it was Messi’s turn in the latest high-profile showdown between the two stars.
The Argentine superstar capped off three seasons of Major League Soccer with the 47th trophy of his career, leading Inter Miami to the championship. 3-1 victory over Muller’s Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS Cup final.
“Three years ago I decided to come to MLS and today we are MLS Champions,” Messi said in a quote distributed by MLS. “We reached the semi-finals of the (CONCACAF) Champions Cup. Last year we were eliminated early in the league and eliminated in the first round. This year one of our main goals was to win MLS.”
Messi set up the go-ahead goal in the 72nd minute with a feed to Rodrigo De Paul and added an assist in stoppage time to give Inter Miami their first championship in franchise history.
“The team made a huge effort. There were a lot of games in a very long year, but we fulfilled our mission throughout the season,” Messi said. “This is the moment I’ve been waiting for and the moment we’ve been waiting for as a team. It’s so beautiful for all of us. They deserved it.”
Messi and Muller had already secured their football legacies long before Saturday’s match. Each is a World Cup and Champions League winner. And both are Club World Cup winners.
They came to MLS with similar goals. It’s all about adding league titles to an already brimming resume. And it was clear how important the chance to win MLS Cup was to both veterans, despite having little left to prove in their careers.
Muller, who led Germany to defeats Messi and Argentina in the 2014 World Cup final and 2010 World Cup quarterfinal, was seen slamming his hand on the grass in frustration as Vancouver tied the game in the 60th minute after an early own goal gave them a 1-0 lead.
At the trophy ceremony that followed, Muller smiled, applauded and gave a thumbs up when Messi was named the best player of the match.
“When you reach for something and you don’t get it, it hurts even more,” Vancouver coach Jesper Sorensen said. “I told (the team) that we were never dreamers. I think Thomas said that when he came in. We are hard workers. We worked hard today. 1-1 and we had the game we wanted. … Then we made a mistake and the ball fell to Messi, and he made a very, very good pass to Rodrygo.”
In Messi’s case, the game ended with his teammates jumping into his arms.
Jordi Alba, who will retire alongside Sergio Busquets, burst into tears and fell to the ground as the reality of retiring as champion began to sink in.
“Today marks the end of something very beautiful for them, something to which they have devoted their whole lives,” Messi said. “Now a new life begins for them. I wish them all the best, because they are friends I cherish very much. I’m glad they can leave with this title.”
With his new medal hanging around his neck, Messi hugged Inter Miami co-owners Jorge Mas and David Beckham. Beckham brought in the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner three years ago when Inter Miami were near the bottom of the league and facing a steep climb to the top.
“I’m very happy for him,” said Inter Miami’s first-year coach Javier Mascherano. “I’m very happy for the season he played. … It was very special and very important for him to win this trophy. He came here to win this trophy.”
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