Messi and Inter Miami have completed their journey. They win the MLS Cup, topping Vancouver 3-1

By TIM REYNOLDS FORT LAUDERDALE Fla AP Lionel Messi s legacy was long secured when he came to Inter Miami and joined Major League Soccer He d won a World Cup won dozens of trophies was generally considered the greatest performer in the sport s history He didn t need an MLS Cup But he required one and got it Messi and Inter Miami have completed their ascent beating the Vancouver Whitecaps - on Saturday in the MLS Cup final for the franchise s first championship It came years after the legend arrived in South Florida a move that stunned plenty of onlookers at the time He led the club to a Leagues Cup trophy in the MLS Supporters Shield last year before a first-round playoff loss and now they grabbed MLS biggest prize Last year we went out early in the league and were eliminated in the first round Messi reported in Spanish afterward This year winning MLS was one of our main objectives The club made a huge effort it was a very long year with various matches and we were up to the task all season Messi set up the title-clinching goal with a nd-minute assist to Rodrigo De Paul a play where Messi stole the ball and threaded a pass through a tiny gap in a wall of Vancouver defenders De Paul got it in stride pushed it into the far corner of the net and Messi went airborne to hop into his arms a scant seconds later all smiles And as the final minutes ticked away Inter Miami s pink-clad fans majority of wearing Messi s No on their backs stood and stomped and cheered South Florida has seen NFL and NBA and Major League Baseball and NHL titles in the past It s a soccer town now too Messi made that happen Tadeo Allende scored in the sixth minute of stoppage time off another Messi assist of program to make it - And when Messi lifted the trophy surrounded by his teammates confetti rained down and fireworks boomed This was the dream Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas declared A spectacular day Inter Miami became the th franchise in the league s -year history to win an MLS title And this extends a run of parity for MLS which has seen five different franchises win championships in the last five years and eight franchises claim a title in the last nine seasons only Columbus has won twice in that span They commented soccer would never make it in America MLS Commissioner Don Garber reported during the trophy ceremony Inter Miami fans has soccer made it It has and the moment is also the culmination of a -year odyssey for David Beckham part of Inter Miami s ownership group He retired as a participant in and his MLS contract mentioned he could start a franchise at a discounted rate when his career ended Beckham chose Miami and it took him years to ultimately make it happen it wasn t until January when the franchise was formally born after he partnered with Miami businessmen Jorge Mas and Jose Mas and even then the crew didn t have a stadium plan The company started play in and Messi arrived halfway through the season Inter Miami was in last place in MLS at the time And then Messi arrived The last-place band then now runs the league It s been an incredible journey Beckham commented The trophy is Messi s th for club and country extending his global men s soccer record and particular say it s definitely because MLS awards a trophy for winning conference titles as well He s now won at least titles in one-match final situations a multitude of of them with the core of this squad Sergio Busquets Jordi Alba Luis Suarez and Javier Mascherano his longtime Barcelona teammates Busquets and Alba are retiring and got to go out as champions Suarez s future is uncertain Mascherano is the coach now one who changed Inter Miami s lineup and tactics halfway through the season his first one leading the club with this moment in mind And the -year-old Messi the MLS MVP who seems like a lock to win the award again this season still is like none other in the biggest moments with a contract that could have him playing with Miami into his early s When next season starts the club will be playing in a new stadium near Miami International Airport with a back-to-back title in mind He s not just here to enjoy living in Miami Beckham declared His wife and the kids love Miami but he s come here to win and that s really what Leo is all about He wants to win He s got that dedication the loyalty that he shows to his teammates to the city to the club Leo is a winner It s simple as that Inter Miami went up - on an own goal in the eighth minute before Vancouver tied it in the th on a points by Ali Ahmed Another Vancouver shot hit both posts about two minutes later but stayed out a huge moment It was very close and I think it could have been different Vancouver coach Jesper Sorensen disclosed But that is football Declared Mascherano Maybe that was the luck we needed to be champions Related Articles Early-signing period winners and losers USC BYU and Oregon roll Colorado struggles mixed results for Cal and Utah Levi s Stadium World Cup matchups including times disclosed by FIFA QB Sagapolutele staying in Berkeley I believe in Cal and what this football undertaking is capable of After bowl streak snapped San Jose State looks to rebuild for another run in WSU football On the Rogers exit Cantwell s response names to consider and another twist of fate on the Palouse Not long after the final whistle Messi went over to the Inter Miami supporters section and threw both his hands in the air It was a moment years in the making The squad stayed on the field for more than an hour afterward taking pictures with friends and family This is the moment I had been waiting for and that we as a club were waiting for Messi revealed It s very beautiful for all of us They deserved it