Thomas Mullers Improbable Run Meets Lionel Messi in Final

Thomas Müller wants to keep dancing. He’ll get the chance to do just that when his Vancouver Whitecaps FC take on Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami in the 2025 MLS Cup next Saturday.

“When I came to Vancouver [in August], I wanted to be very successful with the Whitecaps, and since then, it’s been like a Cinderella story, and I just am trying to keep on dancing like Cinderella,” he told reporters after the Western Conference final on Saturday.

Vancouver advanced to their first MLS Cup after a dominant 3–1 win against San Diego FC, with a brace from U.S. men’s national team striker Brian White and an own goal, orchestrated by Canadian international Ali Ahmed.

It’s their first MLS Western Conference title since joining the league in 2011 and sets up a winner-take-all clash with Inter Miami in Fort Lauderdale.

“We have a game ahead of us, and it will be the biggest of the season, so we are not taking our foot off the pedal,” manager Jesper Sørensen said postmatch, not allowing himself to celebrate the Western Conference honor. “We’re just working the best we can, as hard as we can, and the smartest we can, and now we’re in another final.”

Just 115 days after signing with the Whitecaps, Müller will now play in his second final, after winning the 2025 Canadian Championship to become the most decorated German of all time.

His decision to come to Vancouver came down to several factors: He saw Vancouver as an attractive city and the Whitecaps as a competitive option, given their standing and run to the Concacaf Champions Cup final in the spring, but making MLS Cup still seemed like a lofty goal.

Yet, with a series sweep of FC Dallas, a nail-biting penalty shootout victory against Son Heung-min’s LAFC, and a dominant showing against San Diego, they’ve made it: A date with Miami for MLS Cup.

“We’re not done yet, but I’ve seen the progress. When I came in in August, they were already in really good shape.” Müller added. “I think we are still growing, and we are still building it step by step. I have to feel we are in great shape as a group, and I try to let my teammates join in and learn from my experience, as I did from veteran players when I was younger.”

As much as Müller’s mentality has changed the Whitecaps, they have not been overly reliant on him––and are fortunate not to be, after he had to leave Saturday’s game with some leg discomfort at the hour mark, being replaced by DP midfielder Ryan Gauld.

That said, the defensive midfield pairing of USMNT World Cup hopeful Sebastian Berhalter and DP Andrés Cubas remained vital. Meanwhile, Gauld elevated the Whitecaps’ level after replacing Müller, and the winger duo of Emmanuel Sabbi and Ali Ahmed thrived in one-on-one situations.

At its core, though, the Whitecaps’ ability to retrieve the ball from defensive regroups defines the team and sparks their attack. And White scored his 17th and 18th MLS goals of the season, having recently worked his way back from injury.

“We have so many warriors, but we are also so skilled as a big group. We have not only one very big player, but we have so many strong guys, so many qualities, and we have to bring it together,” Müller said. “I’m very happy to be part of this… I have the feeling it works. It works really well. We’re in the final, and now we’re looking forward to next week.”

When the Whitecaps walk out with MLS Cup within their sight for the first time, it won’t be the first final they’ve played in this year. Instead, it serves as the third after a crushing 5–0 loss to Cruz Azul in the Concacaf Champions Cup and a win over Canadian Premier League side Vancouver FC in the Canadian Championship.

That Champions Cup loss is still fresh for many. Yet, they can lean on the experience, including the two-legged semifinal win over Inter Miami, heading into the biggest match of the season.

“You always learn when you’re in big moments, and you have to bring in your best. And last time, we didn’t succeed with that at all,” Sørensen said, recalling the loss in Mexico City. “A lot of the best athletes in different sports have failed in big moments, but they got up again. And that’s the thing. When you qualify for a big moment, you have the opportunity to succeed.”

While the ‘Caps can hold bragging rights as the only team that Messi has faced twice and never scored against, there’s also a realization that these two teams are very different than those in May. Inter Miami look unbeatable after a record-breaking 4–1 win against New York City FC, and the Whitecaps now have Müller instead of Pedro Vite.

And that battle between Müller and Messi will draw plenty of headlines, in one of the most anticipated MLS matches in history. Müller seeks his 36th trophy and second with Vancouver, while Messi is chasing after his third with Miami and the 47th of his career.

The two have met eight times in competitive matches, with Muller coming out on top in seven of those clashes, including the most important in the 2014 World Cup final.

But, that’s not at the forefront of Müller’s thinking, despite previously saying he would “hunt” Messi.

“My track record is good, but it’s the past. The past is history,” Müller said Saturday. “It’s not about Messi against Thomas Müller, it’s Miami against the Whitecaps. Maybe Miami relies a little bit more on [Messi]… we are such a good group.”

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