Messi Sets Sights on 2025 MLS Cup Triumph

Lionel Messi wasted no time reminding Major League Soccer of his dominance as Inter Miami demolished CF Montréal 4-1 on their return from a headline-grabbing FIFA Club World Cup run.

Lionel Messi and the quest for first MLS Cup

The Argentine maestro struck twice in Québec, lifting the Herons to sixth in the Eastern Conference with four games in hand on leaders Cincinnati. Having already claimed the 2024 Supporters’ Shield with a record points haul, Miami now want the ultimate domestic crown that still eludes them.

Club World Cup lessons fuel MLS push

Victories over Porto and a spirited round-of-16 exit to Paris Saint-Germain proved the South Florida side can match Europe’s elite on any given night. Head coach Javier Mascherano believes those experiences have hardened the squad for the pressure-cooker knockout format that awaits in the MLS play-offs.

Mascherano sets clear 2025 benchmark

“Our motivation is to compete in our league and capture what this club has chased since day one,” the former Barça midfielder said. “Secure home-field advantage, peak in October, and play for history.”

Fixture congestion demands full squad

Six matches remain in July alone, including the opening of another Leagues Cup campaign. Mascherano insists squad rotation will be smarter than wholesale: “We need everyone, but we won’t change six or seven players at once.”

Opinion: Why history beckons in South Florida

If Messi extends through 2026, Miami’s title window widens significantly. With a battle-hardened core, emerging depth and the greatest ever pulling strings, anything short of lifting the 2025 MLS Cup would now feel like underachievement.