Lionel Messi-Thomas Müller MLS Cup Final Delivers Designated Dream

MLS has often struggled to capture the attention of global soccer fans during its first 30 years. But on Saturday, the league has a massive marketing opportunity to showcase itself through a championship game featuring two of the sport’s most decorated global players: Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi and Vancouver Whitecaps FC’s Thomas Müller.

After Vancouver punched its MLS Cup ticket with a 3-1 win over San Diego FC, Müller emphasized to reporters that the final matters most for the clubs, not the individuals. He conceded, though, that having global stars involved will drive growth for the sport in North America.

More from Sportico.com

• Whitecaps in Rare Territory With Playoff Run While for Sale

• Sporticast 502: What's Next for Exes Steph Curry and Under Armour?

• Apple, MLS Deal Will End in 2029 With Revised Payment Structure

“The nice thing about it is not only playing against the greatest player who played our game … when you have a pairing like this, more people are watching,” Müller said. “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.”

Messi, 38, and Müller, 36, are tied for the third most UEFA Champions League appearances all time. They won the European club competition a combined six times. Müller secured 13 league titles with Bayern Munich, while leading Germany to a World Cup win in 2014. Messi is the sport’s GOAT with his eight Ballon d’Or awards, and he raised the profile of MLS when he joined Miami in 2023.

Messi has more than 500 million Instagram followers, while Müller has 15 million, the same number as NFL legend Tom Brady. The official MLS account pales in comparison to the two players with 5 million followers.

MLS introduced its Designated Player rule in 2007 that allowed the Los Angeles Galaxy to sign David Beckham outside of the salary cap, which was $2.1 million that year. Beckham had a base salary of $6.5 million, plus a cut of Galaxy revenue and a unique provision that granted him an MLS expansion franchise at a fixed cost of $25 million. He ultimately exercised the clause in 2018 when expansion fees were $150 million.

Beckham won two MLS titles in Los Angeles before he left following the 2012 season. MLS considered his tenure a success on and off the field that met the intentions of the Designated Player rule. Other MLS Designated Player highlights included Robbie Keane, Thierry Henry and Carlos Vela. MLS has also had some Designated Player signings that struggled to live up to the hype on the field, such as Nery Castillo, Rafael Márquez and Steven Gerrard.

The 2025 MLS season opened with 69 designated players, with a maximum of three per club. The Whitecaps were off to a strong start when Müller joined the Whitecaps in August on a regular contract with a Designated Player option for the 2026 season. The move surprised some, as the club had previously struggled to find sustained success on and off the field since it joined MLS in 2011. In December, the Whitecaps owners hired Goldman Sachs to sell the franchise, making the club the rare sports franchise to reach a title game while on the market.

Messi’s arrival transformed Inter Miami’s fortunes on and off the field—the club was last in the standings when he arrived midway through the 2023 season. Following the Messi signing, local team revenue rose 300% from $45 million to $180 million, and the value of the franchise more than doubled to $1.19 billion. Messi’s two-and-a-half-year contract was worth $150 million, including a signing bonus and an equity stake in the MLS club. Messi is expected to exercise his ownership stake in the franchise after he is done playing with Inter Miami.

Last month, Messi signed a contract extension, which was a huge win for Inter Miami as it readies Miami Freedom Park to open in 2026. The stadium is the centerpiece of a 131-acre entertainment, retail, hospitality and commercial district that will open in phases beginning next year.

This will be the 11th meeting between Messi and Müller across club and country. Müller won five of their six matches in the Champions League, and both World Cup matchups, including the 2014 final—Messi and Argentina won a pair of friendlies. Inter Miami is favored to win Saturday at home. One winner already: MLS.

Best of Sportico.com

• Tennis Prize Money Tracker: Which Player Has Earned the Most in 2025?

• Formula 1 Team Value 2025 Rankings

• Everything to Know About the 2025 Emirates NBA Cup

Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.