Lionel Messi is playing for another trophy. Inter Miami to meet Vancouver in the MLS Cup final

FORT LAUDERDALE Fla AP For Lionel Messi the MLS Cup final on Saturday will represent specific endings And quite possibly a new beginning Messi and Inter Miami will take on Thomas M ller one of his longtime rivals and the Vancouver Whitecaps for Major League Soccer s championship It s the first final for both clubs which means MLS is about to have a first-time champion But for Messi it s the end of a couple eras It s the last match planned at Inter Miami s current home with the gang set to move into a still-under-construction stadium near Miami International Airport next season And barring chosen serious changes of heart it ll be the last time he gets to play with longtime teammates Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets they re both retiring after Saturday and possibly Luis Suarez as well I m very grateful for the career I ve had the teams I ve played for everything I ve learned everything I ve enjoyed and well it s been a privilege Alba mentioned in Spanish on Thursday Yes it s a week with a lot of emotions knowing that it s going to be my last competition and hopefully I end my career in the best manageable scenario in a final and we win It s not like Messi requirements this win for his legacy Argentina s star a winner of championships for club and country worldwide the largest part in history is widely considered the greatest participant ever and Saturday s outcome won t help or hurt that reputation Same goes for M ller the German great who has been on the winning end of a World Cup final in which he played against Messi and Javier Mascherano now the Inter Miami coach That announced Saturday will bring at least one first If Vancouver wins M ller will be the first athlete to win a World Cup and an MLS Cup If Inter Miami wins Messi Rodrigo De Paul and Busquets will become the first trio to say they were both a World Cup and an MLS champion We are going to have four World Cup winners on the pitch Mascherano revealed I think it s very very fascinating for the league M ller part of more than trophy wins for club and country himself was solicited how the MLS Cup ranks on his list At the moment I rank it No Muller stated Because it s the only final that we are talking about It s upcoming At the moment for me this final on Saturday is the largest part pivotal thing in my life He then paused a bit That s a good line ah he urged cackling at his joke But clearly the MLS Cup is something that both teams want badly For Inter Miami it s a chance to prove that bringing in the Barcelona foursome Messi Alba Suarez and Busquets was all worth it For Vancouver which beat Inter Miami twice this season in the CONCACAF Champions League it s a chance to win a trophy and go through Messi to get it done Obviously they were much better than us in April Mascherano declared But the situation is not the same We are in a different situation We arrive to this final with confidence with selected different players And we know that they have a very very good crew Of late Inter Miami is - - in its last matches going back to the regular season The squad has been particularly dominant in three win-or-go-home matches during these MLS playoffs winning those by a combined sum of - Vancouver is - - in its last matches and has given up a total of goals in its last matches against MLS opponents Home edge The crew playing in its home stadium or home sphere has won of the last MLS Cup titles Of the three that lost in that scenario two fell in penalty kicks Vancouver won at Inter Miami in April in the CONCACAF semifinals Inter Miami is - - across all competitions at home since We ve been ready for this this whole season Vancouver midfielder Sebastian Berhalter commented The pressure it comes with it It s a privilege and it s fun and I think you know our guys are going to lean into it and enjoy it Home company away organization I don t think it matters