Inter Miami CF are on the brink of MLS glory, needing just one win to lift the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy for the first time in club history.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC stand in the Herons' way, setting the stage for an epic MLS Cup 2025 presented by Audi on Saturday at Chase Stadium (2:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass, Apple TV; FOX, FOX Deportes; TSN, RDS).
How did Lionel Messi & Co. get this far? Let’s look back at five defining moments.
Inter Miami's MLS Cup run has been a long time coming. Two-and-a-half years, to be exact.
The July 2023 arrival of Messi, followed by fellow FC Barcelona legends Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, set in motion a transformative process that reaped immediate rewards with the conquest of that year's Leagues Cup title.
Another Barça icon, Luis Suárez, joined in 2024 to complete Miami's "Core Four" that guided the club to a record-setting Supporters' Shield haul.
Now, in 2025, Messi & Friends hope to add a third piece of silverware to the club's trophy cabinet. And it's arguably the most coveted prize of all: the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy.
Miami's Messi-led project took a slight detour after last season when head coach Gerardo Martino departed the club, citing personal reasons.
Tata's replacement was announced within days, with fellow Argentine Javier Mascherano taking the reins ahead of the 2025 campaign.
The former Argentina youth national team manager, himself a Barcelona great and one-time teammate of Messi for club and country, has navigated a jam-packed schedule, leading the Herons to the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals, Leagues Cup final and FIFA Club World Cup knockout stage.
Along the way, Mascherano made tactical and personnel adjustments to help Miami hit their stride in the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs. The Herons have outscored their opponents 17-3 in the postseason, while winning each of their last three matches by four-goal margins.
Miami again swung for the fences during the 2025 summer transfer window, signing superstar midfielder Rodrigo De Paul in July.
The 31-year-old joined on loan from LaLiga giants Atlético Madrid, with an option to make the deal permanent through 2029.
De Paul has fit seamlessly into Miami's system, contributing five assists (regular season and playoffs) while playing the "Messi's bodyguard" role he mastered during Argentina's 2022 FIFA World Cup conquest, with hopes of a possible title repeat in 2026.
First things first, De Paul and Messi are eying MLS Cup to clinch their first-ever title together at the club level.
Messi has brought the magic for Miami since day one, beginning with his storybook Leagues Cup 2023 title and followed by a record-setting 2024 Supporters' Shield crown paced by a Landon Donovan MLS MVP-winning campaign.
So how does the greatest player of all time top that? By producing yet another MLS MVP-worthy season with 29g/19a, which earned him the 2025 MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi.
Incredibly, Messi has turned it up yet another notch in the playoffs, reaching historic form by notching 13 goal contributions (6g/7a) to shatter the record for a single postseason. He's also getting help from fellow attacker Tadeo Allende, who's made playoff history of his own by scoring eight goals to tie the single-postseason record (LA Galaxy's Carlos Ruiz in 2002).
With Messi showing no signs of slowing down, the legendary No. 10 looks determined to add MLS Cup to his already unrivalled resumé.
From late-game substitute to written-in-pen starter, Mateo Silvetti's playoff breakout is one for the ages.
The U22 Initiative forward, signed in August from Newell's Old Boys in his native Argentina, had only made one start for Miami before filling in for the suspended Suárez in Game 3 of their Round One Best-of-3 Series against Nashville SC.
Silvetti seized his moment and hasn't looked back, essentially taking over Suárez's job. With 2g/3a over the past three games, the 19-year-old has developed instant chemistry with compatriots Messi and Allende, helping Miami outscore their opponents 13-1 during that span and hit peak form ahead of MLS Cup.
In October, Silvetti scored three knockout round goals for Argentina en route to a runner-up finish at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
