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Sports Illustrated

Sport

Ben Steiner

Inter Miami vs. Vancouver Whitecaps Player Ratings: Historic MLS Cup Win Sealed

Inter Miami Vancouver Whitecaps Whitecaps Miami Lionel Messi MLS Thomas Müller MLS Cup Ali Ahmed Tadeo Allende

FORT LAUDERDALE – Inter Miami captured the 2025 MLS Cup title for the first time in club history on Saturday, defeating the Vancouver Whitecaps 3–1 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.

The Herons entered the match as slight favorites, but came up against a formidable Whitecaps side that had previously beaten them 5–1 on aggregate in Concacaf Champions Cup action in the spring. Miami opened the scoring through a Whitecaps own goal in the ninth minute, before Vancouver tied the game in the 60th.

Rodrigo De Paul restored the Herons' lead in the 71st minute, finishing off a counter-attack from Lionel Messi, after the Whitecaps had dominated possession and chance creation for much of the afternoon. Tadeo Allende iced the match in the 93rd minute.

Here’s Sports Illustrated's full breakdown of the match.

Inter Miami Player Ratings vs. Vancouver Whitecaps (4-3-3)

Ratings Provided by FotMob

GK: Rocco Ríos Novo—5.7: The young goalkeeper had plenty to do and ended with three saves, including a critical stop on Emmanuel Sabbi in the first half.

RB: Ian Fray—7.4: The Jamaican international defender returned to the starting lineup after two games as a substitute, but struggled to defend Ali Ahmed down his wing.

CB: Maximiliano Falcón—6.7: Miami's defensive rock, Falcón resorted to pulling down several opponents once overwhelmed by Vancouver's press.

CB: Noah Allen—6.7: The Greek youth international struggled and was eventually taken out for Fray, allowing Jordi Alba to swap into the right center back position.

LB: Jordi Alba—6.9: Now entering retirement, Alba had a quiet match and was not involved in the attack.

RM: Rodrigo De Paul—7.9: The Argentine midfielder will go down in Inter Miami history, scoring the second goal after Vancouver had carried most of the momentum. Outside of his goal, he helped build consistent attacks in right midfield.

CM: Sergio Busquets —7.2: The Spanish legend leaves his career on top, winning a trophy in his final match. He played the full 90 and provided four passes into the final third.

LM: Baltasar Rodríguez—6.2: After carving out a role midseason, Rodríguez continued to struggle in the MLS Cup playoffs. Questions remain about his involvment in the team in 2026.

RW: Tadeo Allende—6.9: Allende suffered fever-like symptoms earlier in the week, but looked no worse for wear, helping to create the opening own goal, before breaking the MLS record for most goals in an MLS Cup playoffs with his late strike. It marked his ninth goal, breaking Carlos Ruiz's record from 2002.

ST: Lionel Messi—8.9: The legendary No. 10 couldn't score for the third straight match against the Whitecaps, but was influential with two assists to decide the game. They needed him and he delivered.

LW: Mateo Silvetti—6.5: The 19-year-old Argentine prospect was not involved in much of the play and exited in the 79th minute.

Substitute	Rating (Out of 10)
Telasco Segovia ('57 for Rodríguez)	6.3
Yannick Bright (78' for Silvetti)	6.3
Marcelo Weigandt (90+1' for Fray)	N/A

Subs not used: Oscar Ustari (GK), Gonzalo Luján, Tomas Aviles, Fafá Picault, Allen Obando, Luis Suárez

Vancouver Whitecaps Player Ratings vs. Inter Miami

Thomas Müller (left) was unable to add to his trophy cabinet with the Vancouver Whitecaps in MLS Cup. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Player Ratings Provided by FotMob

GK: Yohei Takaoka—5.6: The Japanese goalkeeper made one save, but couldn't get to Inter Miami's best attempts.

RB: Ediér Ocampo—5.1: Despite sme involvement in the attack, Ocampo's early own goal doomed the Whitecaps from the start.

CB: Tristan Blackmon—5.6: The U.S. men's national team defender returned to the XI after a red card suspension in the Western Conference final and had three recoveries and nine passes into the final third.

CB: Ralph Priso—6.8: Traditionally a midfielder, Priso impressed out of position with five defensive contributions in 68 minutes.

LB: Mathiás Laborda—6.0: Shifted to left back from his usual right back and center back roles, Laborda picked up a yellow card and had four defensive contributions.

CDM: Sebastian Berhalter—6.5: The USMNT defensive midfielder was one of Vancouver's key players in maintaining pressure and creating scoring opportunities. However, he will rue two missed free kicks.

CDM: Andrés Cubas—6.6: The Paraguay international visibly frustrated Lionel Messi and had five defensive contributions, as well as a chance created. The 29-year-old was Vancouver's most important player.

RM: Emmanuel Sabbi—7.8: The American winger overhwhelmed Jordi Alba on the wing, but hit the post twice on scoring opportunities that could have changed the outcome.

CM: Thomas Müller—6.6: Playing through a leg injury, the German legend played methodically, but was evidently uncomfortable. He had one attempt, a header into the hands of Novo.

LM: Ali Ahmed—7.2: The 25-year-old became the second Canadian in history to score in an MLS Cup final with the 1–1 strike, marking his first goal of the campaign.

ST: Brian White—7.4: The USMNT striker created two chances and had the assist on Ahmed's tying goal.

Substitute	Rating (Out of 10)
Ryan Gauld (68' for Ahmed)	6.3
Joderik Pupe (68' for Priso)	6.3
Kenji Cabrera (82' for Cubas)	N/A
Jayden Nelson (90+1' for Sabbi)	N/A

Subs not used: Isaac Boehmer (GK) , Tate Johnson, Jeevan Badwal, Daniel Ríos, Rayan Elloumi,

Inter Miami 3–1 Vancouver Whitecaps FC: How it Unfolded at Chase Stadium

Lionel Messi (left) got the better of Thomas Müller to win MLS Cup on Saturday afternoon. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Chase Stadium was packed to the brim with supporters from both sides well before the match, including over 2,000 fans from Vancouver, who made the over seven-hour plane ride to support their side.

The match got underway following a bombastic opening ceremony, and quick exchange between the two captains, Messi and Müller, facing off for the 11th time in their storied careers. It didn't take long for the match to hit rhythm, though, and the stars were central figures.

Messi --> De Paul

That Argentine connection always delivers in the biggest moments. 🇦🇷@InterMiamiCF // MLS Cup pres. by Audi pic.twitter.com/AC90SmP1MF
— Major League Soccer 🏆 (@MLS) December 6, 2025

Miami pressed intensely to start and weathered Vancouver's attempted counterattacks. Yet, their opening goal came from a counterpress of their own, as De Paul lofted a ball to Allende on the right side, before an attempted cross deflected off Vancouver's Ocampo and into the goal in the eighth minute.

After the opening goal, it was Vancouver's hour to dominate. The Whitecaps maintained possesion and pressure through the first half and into the second, eventually breaking through with a tying goal in the 60th minute, as Ahmed finished a cross from White for the club's first-ever goal in an MLS Cup.

WE. ARE. LEVEL.

Ali Ahmed scores and it's tied. // MLS Cup pres. by Audi pic.twitter.com/Auh3sq7Dd5
— Major League Soccer 🏆 (@MLS) December 6, 2025

Vancouver continued to press after and midfielder Cubas frustrated Messi, but they were unable to cash in, with Sabbi hitting the post twice, and Berhalter missing two key free kicks.

While Vancouver had more momentum, Messi picked up the ball in midfield and set up De Paul, who had no issues smashing the ball past Takaoka to make it 2–1 in the 71st minute.

Already having the advantage, Miami added to their lead in the 93rd minute, when Messi chipped the ball over Vancouver's center backs and set up Allende to score his ninth goal of the playoffs, breaking the MLS record for most in a single postseason.