World Cup champions Lionel Messi and Thomas Müller are set to meet in the MLS Cup next week, after their teams won the trophies for their respective conferences last Saturday.
Inter Miami thrashed New York City 5-1 and won in the East Conference, with a hat-trick by Argentinian player Tadeo Allende, and assists by Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, who will retire when the season ends, maybe with the elusive MLS Cup trophy, never won by Inter Miami. Leo Messi also assisted one goal, adding a 405th assist and breaking the record as the top assister in history.
Meanwhile, Vancouver Whitecaps defeated San Diego FC 3-1, reaching the MLS Cup final for the first time. They are also five-time champions of the Canadian Championship, and hired Thomas Müller only six months ago. The 36-year-old left Bayern Munich after after 17 years as a free transfer, and is one match again off winning his record-breaking 36 trophy.
Thomas Müller happy to play against the "greatest player in our game"
"It's not about Messi against Thomas Müller, it's Miami against the Whitecaps", said Müller, emphasising that he is much less central to Vancouver than Messi is to Miami. Nevertheless, the fact that two World Champions (Germany won in 2014, Argentina in 2022) will meet in the MLS season finale has not gone unnoticed, and will make for the most anticipated, and probably most followed MLS Cup in history.
"When you have a pairing like this, more people are watching," Müller continued. "If more people are watching, the value also for you as a player, as an individual, also for your team and also for your franchise, is way bigger", the Bayern Munich legend said.
When is the MLS Cup between Inter Miami and Vancouver Whitecaps
Inter Miami and Vancouver Whitecaps will meet next week, Saturday, December 6, at 20:30 CET, 19:30 GMT, at the Chase Stadium in Miami.
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