‘It hurts’: MLS Cup loss painful for Müller, Vancouver Whitecaps

Vancouver Whitecaps' Thomas Muller (13) protects the ball from Inter Miami's Baltasar Rodriguez (11) during the first half of the MLS Cup final soccer match, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Saturday, December 6, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

FORT LAUDERDALE — Brian White threw his boots and mouth guard on the field in seeming disbelief. His teammates held one another, shock and disappointment painted on their faces.

The Vancouver Whitecaps’ fairy tale season had come to a disappointing end.

Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami captured the MLS Cup on Saturday with a 3-1 victory over the Whitecaps.

“It hurts, but in the best way it could hurt,” said Vancouver’s marquee player Thomas Müller.

The German legend joined the ‘Caps in mid August and falling in the Major League Soccer championship Saturday marked just his second loss with the team.

“In the end, I have the feeling we gave it away. So we will come back stronger next season,” Müller said.

“Nobody expected a season like that one year ago. Maybe it’s not the right moment to talk about next year, but I still feel it that our process is not at the top. We are on our way up. We have a young group, a very young group, a very talented group and a very hungry group. You know how it is with the big losses — it gains a lot of energy for the future.”

The matchup was billed as a battle between two of the league’s top talents, with Argentine star Lionel Messi leading Miami and Müller co-captaining the ‘Caps with Ryan Gauld.

It was Vancouver’s Edier Ocampo who opened the scoring, though, with an own goal in the eighth minute to give Miami an early 1-0 lead.

Whitecaps midfielder Ali Ahmed levelled the score in the 60th with his first goal in MLS play this year.

Rodrigo De Paul put the home side ahead again in the 70th minute and Tadeo Allende sealed the score in the 96th minute to give Miami its first MLS Cup.

The visitors outshot Miami 11-4 and held a 4-3 edge in on-target chances, but couldn’t get a shot past Inter ‘keeper Rocco Rios Novo for a late equalizer.

“Today was a fighter. We faced a very, very good team,” said Inter head coach Javier Mascherano. ”Maybe the first 20, 25 minutes we were better than them. But then they were, little by little, they were going a little bit higher. They started getting chances. And in the second half, the first 15, 20 minutes, they put us under pressure.”

Both sides played their first MLS Cup final.

Vancouver (18-7-9) finished the regular season second in the West, and then earned its spot in the championship game with a 3-1 victory over expansion side San Diego FC in the conference final.

“Considering where we were at the start of the season, there wasn’t many people even giving us a chance to make the playoffs,” Gauld said. “So for us to get here tonight, to get to the (CONCACAF) Champions Cup final, I’m extremely proud of what the group’s given and the work they’ve put in week after week.”

Miami went 19-7-8 to finish third in the East and thumped New York City FC 5-1 in the conference final to advance.

Saturday’s matchup was the final MLS game at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, with the team moving to a new venue, Miami Freedom Park, in the new year.

A capacity crowd of 21,556 filled the stands, including about 2,000 Whitecaps fans. Another 20,452 watched the game on the big screen back at B.C. Place in Vancouver.

Saturday’s pre-game ceremonies included dancers and ample fireworks. NBA legend and Whitecaps co-owner Steve Nash carried the MLS Cup out to the field wearing white gloves.

With humidity, the temperature at kickoff felt like a sticky 30 C, making for the warmest MLS Cup final in the league’s history.

Miami was the aggressor early in the first half, utilizing a free press that had Vancouver struggling to break out of the midfield.

The home side took advantage in the eighth minute when Allende got a step on Ocampo and sprinted into the penalty area. The Miami striker attempted to slice a pass across the six-yard box but the ball pinged off Ocampo and in behind Whitecaps goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka for an own goal.

Miami had an opportunity to make it 2-0 in the 25th minute with a free kick.

Messi stepped up for the set play and sent a shot over the Vancouver wall, but Takaoka was there to calmly scoop up the ball.

Vancouver gained offensive momentum as the first half wore on.

The ‘Caps got a free kick in the 33rd minute after Ahmed was tripped up heading toward goal.

Sebastian Berhalter floated a ball into the penalty area where Brian White headed it on goal, only to see Rios Novo make the catch.

Berhalter had another chance off a free kick in the 38th minute when he swung a ball in toward the back post. The attempt was stopped but Vancouver’s Emmanuel Sabbi collected the rebound and fired a second attempt off from in tight. Rios Novo once again played spoiler.

The ‘Caps continued to attack early in the second half.

The persistence paid off in the 60th minute when Ahmed chipped a sharp-angle shot from the side of the six-yard box. Rios Novo got a touch on it but the ball still bounced in to level the score at 1-1.

The visitors came within inches of taking the lead two minutes later when Sabbi’s rocket from distance ricocheted off the post. The ‘Caps fans sitting behind the net erupted in response.

Messi set up Miami’s second tally of the night, picking the ball off the feet of Vancouver defensive midfielder Andres Cubas and dishing off to De Paul.

De Paul steamed up the field and went one-on-one with Takaoka, sending a shot into the bottom left corner of the net to give the home side a 2-1 lead in the 70th minute.

The tally gave Miami confidence, said Vancouver head coach Jesper Sorensen.

“These games, they are decided in a few moments,” he said. ”And of course when you play Inter Miami, they have players that can take advantage of these moments. But I think that they stuck well to the game plan until that point.”

Vancouver mounted a late push to equalize once again but couldn’t create the necessary chance.

Instead, Messi sprang Allende for a breakaway in the 96th minute and the striker fired a shot in past Takaoka to make it 3-1.

“Losing a final’s never easy. I think the frustrating thing is I know we weren’t at our best. And we still had a few little chances here and there,” Gauld said. ”It’s tough to take. Never easy losing a final.”

Messi, who was named the game’s MVP, said the victory was a long time coming.

“Three years ago, I decided to come to MLS, and today we are MLS champions,” he said.

“This year, winning MLS was one of our main objectives. The team made a huge effort — it was a very long year, with many matches — and we were up to the task all season. This is the moment I had been waiting for, and that we, as a team, were waiting for. It’s very beautiful for all of us. They deserved it.”

This report by Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press, was first published Dec. 6, 2025.