Seattle Sounders host the final of the 2025 Leagues Cup. They face a tough challenge in their quest for the title, as Inter Miami arrive led by Lionel Messi. The Argentine forward, now fully recovered physically, is the main draw of the match at Lumen Field.
The Herons reached the tournament’s decisive match despite being without Messi for a substantial part of the campaign. He played in the opening match against Atlas, where he provided two assists in a 2–1 win, and then appeared briefly against Necaxa before a muscle injury forced him off the field.
Without the Argentine star, Inter Miami drew that second match and picked up an extra point on penalties, then secured qualification by beating Pumas in their third game. In the quarterfinals, they managed to defeat Tigres even without their best player.
Messi finally returned this past Wednesday and was instrumental in leading his team to a semifinal win over Orlando City. He scored two late goals that helped the Herons come from behind to reach the Leagues Cup final for the second time in club history.
Inter Miami stars Jordi Alba, Lionel Messi, and Rodrigo De Paul.
How many goals does Messi need to become the top scorer of the Leagues Cup?
With two goals in just over two matches played, Messi’s average in the Leagues Cup is impressive. However, that total is still not enough to place him among the tournament’s top scorers.
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Leagues Cup 2025 prize money: How much will the winner of Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami vs. Seattle Sounders final earn?
Currently sitting atop the scoring chart is another Argentine star: Angel Correa. The World Cup winner in Qatar 2022 has scored 5 goals in 4 matches with Tigres of Mexico and remains in first place for now. Just behind him, with 4 goals each, are LA Galaxy’s Joseph Paintsil, Orlando City’s Martin Ojeda, and Toluca’s Paulinho.
That means, to finish as the top scorer of the 2025 Leagues Cup, Lionel Messi would need to score at least three goals in the final against Seattle Sounders. That would bring him level with Angel Correa and they would share the award. If Leo scores more than three, he would win it outright.
Seattle players who could also finish as Leagues Cup top scorer
In Sunday’s final, Lionel Messi won’t be the only one with a shot at catching—or surpassing—Angel Correa’s mark. Two Seattle Sounders players also have a realistic chance to claim the Leagues Cup scoring title. Both Pedro De La Vega and Osaze De Rosario have scored three goals so far, meaning they would need just two more.
Messi has already been Leagues Cup top scorer before
The Leagues Cup is clearly a tournament that suits Lionel Messi well. When he joined Inter Miami in the summer of 2023, his official debut with the pink jersey came in this very competition, against Cruz Azul, where he scored a stunning last-minute free kick.
That year, Leo led the Herons through consecutive wins in every round of the Leagues Cup, all the way to the penalty shootout victory over Nashville SC in the final. With that win, Inter Miami secured their first official trophy, while Messi claimed the tournament’s top scorer award, finishing with an impressive 10 goals in 8 matches.
