Lionel Messi is back, and Inter Miami is smiling. The Argentine superstar returned from a brief spell on the sidelines and delivered a brilliant performance in the semifinal win over Orlando City, sending the Herons into the 2025 Leagues Cup Final.
Now, Inter Miami has traveled coast-to-coast to face the Seattle Sounders at Lumen Field, with the goal of winning the Leagues Cup for the second time in club history. Their first triumph came in 2023, when they lifted the trophy after defeating Nashville SC in a dramatic penalty shootout.
To get here, Miami endured a long trip—2,724 miles from Fort Lauderdale to Seattle—a six-hour flight across the country and a three-hour time difference. On Saturday, the day before the final, Javier Mascherano’s squad held tactical sessions and ball work at Lumen Field, focused entirely on preparing for the biggest match of their season.
Messi, Suárez, and De Paul in sync
Messi looked relaxed and confident ahead of the final. Upon arriving at the stadium, he was spotted as usual alongside his close friend Luis Suárez, sharing mate before training. On the pitch, Messi spent much of the session with Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, laughing, chatting, and exchanging gestures of calm and unity.
The positive atmosphere stood in contrast to the usual tension of a final, showing the value of Messi’s leadership and the chemistry within the squad. For Miami, the trio of Messi, Suárez, and De Paul represents both experience and firepower in a match that will require composure and creativity.
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History and stakes
For Inter Miami, winning back-to-back Leagues Cups would solidify the club’s rapid rise since Messi’s arrival in 2023. For Seattle, one of MLS’s most successful franchises, the chance to win on home soil at Lumen Field adds extra weight to the final.
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Leagues Cup 2025 TV schedule and streaming info for U.S. viewers
Predicted lineups for the final
Inter Miami’s likely XI:
Óscar Ustari; Ian Fray, Gonzalo Luján, Maxi Falcón, Jordi Alba; Rodrigo De Paul, Sergio Busquets, Yannick Bright, Baltasar Rodríguez; Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez.
Seattle Sounders’ projected XI:
Andrew Thomas; Nouhou Tolo, Yeimar Gómez Andrade, Jackson Ragen, Alex Roldán; Obed Vargas, Cristian Roldán, Pedro De la Vega, Paul Rothrock; Jesús Ferreira, Osaze De Rosario.
