<p><a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/lionel-messi/"><strong>Lionel Messi</strong></a> lifted the <strong>2025 MLS Cup</strong> after a thrilling 3-1 win over the <strong>Vancouver Whitecaps</strong> on Saturday at Chase Stadium. Beyond securing their first official trophy of the season, <strong>Messi and </strong><a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/inter-miami/"><strong>Inter Miami</strong></a><strong> are now in line to compete for yet another major title</strong>.</p>



<p>Inter Miami opened the scoring after Edier Ocampo redirected a Tadeo Allende cross into his own net. Ali Ahmed pulled Vancouver level in the 60th minute with a shot inside Rocco Ríos Novo’s near post, <strong>but goals from Rodrigo De Paul in the 70th and Allende in the 90+6 sealed the </strong><a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/mls-cup/"><strong>MLS Cup</strong></a><strong> for the Herons</strong>.</p>



<p>By winning the MLS Cup, <strong>Messi’s Inter Miami have officially qualified for the 2026 </strong><a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/campeones-cup/"><strong>Campeones Cup</strong></a><strong> final</strong>. As is now tradition in North America, the MLS champion will face Mexico’s Campeón de Campeones winner for regional bragging rights.</p>



<p>The Campeón de Campeones, a competition dating back to 1942, is currently contested by the winners of Mexico’s short-season tournaments, the Apertura and Clausura. With the 2025 Apertura still ongoing and the Clausura wrapping up in mid-2026, <strong>Inter Miami will need to wait to learn their opponent</strong>.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1920" height="1080" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20251206_WST_608447_toluca-campeones-cup_5c1552e0.webp&amp;width=1920&amp;height=1080" alt="Toluca celebrating with the 2025 Campeones Cup trophy." class="wp-image-608539"></figure><figcaption>Toluca celebrating with the 2025 Campeones Cup trophy.</figcaption></figure>



<h2>Inter Miami aim to even the Campeones Cup record for MLS</h2>



<p>The Campeones Cup has been staged annually since 2018 after MLS and Liga MX jointly created the event, typically played every September. While it is not an official CONCACAF competition, the trophy has become a meaningful benchmark between the leagues, and <strong>Inter Miami now have a chance to help MLS draw level in the all-time series</strong>.</p>


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<p>Seven editions have been played since the cup’s inception, with Liga MX holding the edge. <strong>Mexican clubs have won four titles</strong>: Club América, Toluca, and Tigres UANL (the only two-time champion). On the MLS side, <strong>Atlanta United, Columbus Crew, and New York City FC each have one trophy</strong>.</p>



<p>The most recent edition took place on September 1, 2025, when MLS Cup champions LA Galaxy hosted Toluca at Dignity Health Sports Park, with the Liga MX side clinging the trophy in a 3-2 dramatic final. With their opponent still to be determined, <strong>Inter Miami will look to add another trophy to the club’s growing history, and pull MLS even in the competition’s overall record</strong>.</p>

What title will Lionel Messi compete for next after winning the 2025 MLS Cup with Inter Miami?

What title will Lionel Messi compete for next after winning the 2025 MLS Cup with Inter Miami? - World Soccer Talk

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<p>In the Campeones Cup, Liga MX side Tigres defeated the reigning MLS Cup Champions, LAFC. After ninety minutes of play, the game went to penalty kicks. Tigres deservedly won after controlling the ball throughout the contest. During the game, LAFC retreated to their defensive position and awaited an opportunity to launch a counterattack.</p>



<p>At BMO Stadium, Carlos Vela enjoyed what might be described as a calm night. As a result, Denis Bouanga and Cristian Olivera posed a significant challenge for the team from wide positions.</p>



<h2>Frustrations culminated with two red cards in LAFC loss in Campeones Cup</h2>



<p>Frustrations escalated as the minutes ticked off the clock. The referee brandished a red card to both sides. A pair of last-ditch tackles in the second half led to red cards for both clubs.</p>



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<p>After that, a goal attributed to Bouanga was ruled invalid. The remainder of the game degenerated into insanity after that. Battles erupted all over the place. By the time the game settled, LAFC blew another chance to win a trophy.</p>



<h5>What did Steve Cherundolo say?</h5>



<p>LAFC manager <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/cherundolo-takes-over-as-lafc-head-coach-20220103-CMS-364716.html">Steve Cherundolo</a>, on the other hand, lauded his team. He questioned the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/mls-tv-schedule/">Major League Soccer schedule</a>. He urged the people in charge to find answers as quickly as they could.</p>



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<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Steve Cherundolo: "to create a competitive advantage for MLS, I think the owners, commissioner and rest of league office need to sit down and come up with solutions because status quo is not gonna work. I can tell you that&apos;s the opinion of many other coaches as well." <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LAFC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LAFC</a> <a href="https://t.co/rcwWCKMp7l">pic.twitter.com/rcwWCKMp7l</a></p>— Andy Deossa 🇨🇴 (@Andy_Deossa) <a href="https://twitter.com/Andy_Deossa/status/1707284881297088952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>“Throughout all the competitions we’ve been in this year, for any teams that are going to this next year, I can tell you the rules and regulations of MLS roster are not ample enough and we are not equipped enough for all these competitions.</p>



<p>“We have done an incredible job to stay in all comps very late but our guys are depleted”, he continued, “our stadium officer is tired, everyone is tired.</p>



<p>“Maybe it’s too many games or maybe we don’t have enough players and I think moving forward to create a competitive advantage for MLS, I think the owners and commissioners need to sit down and come up with solutions. The status quo does not work and I can tell you that is the opinion of other coaches as well,” he was quoted as saying to the press following the match’s conclusion, via Spanish newspaper <a href="https://en.as.com/soccer/steve-cherundolos-comments-after-lafcs-campeones-cup-loss-to-tigres-n/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AS</a>.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / ZUMA Wire</em></p>


LAFC coach issues warning to MLS after Campeones Cup loss

After their defeat to Tigres in the Campeones Cup, Steve Cherundolo blamed the LAFC exhaustion on the schedule congestion caused by MLS.

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What title will Lionel Messi compete for next after winning the 2025 MLS Cup with Inter Miami?

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LAFC coach issues warning to MLS after Campeones Cup loss