Video: Lionel Messi assists De Paul, Allende for Inter Miami to lift 2025 MLS Cup vs. Whitecaps

Inter Miami were set to face the Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS Cup final on Saturday at Chase Stadium in a thrilling conclusion to the 2025 campaign. And in a decisive moment, Lionel Messi appeared into scene to assist both Rodrigo De Paul and Tadeo Allende to settle the score 3-1 for the Herons.

The game kicked off with the Herons finding the lead early after an own goal from Edier Ocampo in the 8th minute following Tadeo Allende’s cross. However, the home side remained cautious, and with the Whitecaps dominating the game, Ali Ahmed found the equalizer with a shot to Rocco Rios Novo’s first post in the 60th minute.

With the match level, Messi glided past Andrés Cubas to spark Inter Miami’s lethal counter. The former Barcelona star slipped a perfectly weighted pass between Tristan Blackmon and Mathías Laborda, freeing De Paul in behind, and the Argentine midfielder finished the chance to make it 2-1 in the 71st minute.

With seven minutes of stoppage time added, Inter Miami closed the match on their terms, with Messi once again at the center of the action. Jordi Alba launched a long ball to the captain, who controlled it off his chest and, before it touched the ground, lifted a perfect lob pass to Allende. The striker unleashed a low strike through Yohei Takaoka’s legs to seal the 3–1 scoreline.

Inter Miami and a record playoff run

Lionel Messi was already coming off an exceptional 2025 MLS regular season, and the captain carried that form straight into the postseason after last year’s disappointing playoff exit. In just their second playoff appearance, the Herons have made history by winning the MLS Cup, with several players etching their names into league record books.

For Messi, the assists to De Paul and Allende added yet another layer to his unforgettable playoff run. During the 2025 postseason, the Argentine star has recorded six goals and nine assists, totaling 15 goal contributions, the most by any player in a single MLS playoff campaign.

Meanwhile, Allende’s goal against the Vancouver Whitecaps in nearly the final play of the match cemented him as the top scorer in a single MLS postseason. With goals against Nashville (3), FC Cincinnati (2), NYCFC (3) and now the Whitecaps, the Inter Miami standout set the new record at nine, surpassing Carlos Ruiz’s mark of eight during the LA Galaxy’s 2002 run.