Lionel Messi vs Seattle Sounders | Defeat in the Final | 31/08/2025

30 years Major League Soccer has been around. This is only the third edition of League's Cup. It'll be a hostile environment for Lionel Messi and for Inter Miami. The Sounders have never lost a final in this building. We're minutes away from kickoff and we'll be back from Seattle. The 2025 League's Cup. This is the 34th club final that Lionel Messi has played in his career. Will this be trophy number 47 for Lionel Messi? There's Jordi Alba waving to some Miami supporters sitting pitch side here at Lumen Field. How does this matchup play out in your mind? Well, first off, we got it sold out before this match. Sario and then Hustori quick in front of Rothrock to defend for 90 minutes. The supporters welcoming Lionel Messi to the Emerald City and Reed Baker Whiting concedes a throw. Right into Messi. Suarez, Messi back, got it. No, Bob Vargas got there first. It is a corner, though, for Inter Miami. Well, we highlighted the relationship between Messi and Alba, but Messi's got as equal of a connection with Luis Suarez. Corner for Inter Miami. They go short. DePaul, Jordi Alba, Lionel Messi. Jordi Alba, Messi wants it back. Unable to keep it in play. Messi comes to get it. Wonderful into DePaul. DePaul Rothrock takes it away. Rodrigo DePaul, Messi out to Busquets. Over to Jordi Alba. Into Messi, back to Jordi Alba. Not the best center back pairing in Major League Soccer. Jackson Reagan, third in the Defender of the Year voting a year ago. Yamar, what a ball. What a ball to DePaul, and it's Reagan, a Defender of the Year nominee a year ago. Sliding in, blocking the shot, but a corner for Inter Miami. Well, Rodrigo DePaul coming off the left. Now it's a turnover from Seattle. Now they're on the front foot. Here come Miami and into Messi. Messi was blocked. The two big sounders, center backs Reagan and Yates. Nashville in the League's Cup Final in 2023. Different how the play. The young, the old. 45 p.m. Eastern right here on MLS season pass. He has given his allegiance to Mexico for his national team. He's been capped by Mexico once and certainly expects many, many more in the future. But this is as good as it gets. The League Cup Final, League's Cup Final. And here is Alex Otero, who has told us it's about the culture of this team. No better example than Osasa de Rosario. Seattle have the lead, but Lionel Messi draws a foul. Contemplates. Lionel Messi over the restart for Inter Miami. Tries to get it to Alba, broken up a right to Suarez. Luis Suarez clipping it in. They want a handball. It's not given. It's swept away. Six yard area. He has to win. Herrera goes over Allende. Suarez flicks it on. Messi sends it forward. Is one for the future for Mexico and their national team. De La Vega and Messi. I mean, 39 minutes in, how many touches does Luis Suarez have? Maybe five. Frey into Suarez, bounces it out to Messi, trying to get around Roldan and Vardy. Allende chooses to keep it in play. Jordi Alba, of course, looks for Messi. Christian Roldan breaks it up. De Paul, no look into Messi. Tries to touch a pass. Reagan tries to draw a foul. It's not given. Miami are upset. They're surrounding Juan Gabriel Calderon, the referee. The ball is still in play. Great little spot here. Now the touch is away with him. Reagan gets him. The ball is touched by Jackson Reagan. That's a foul. That one was very dangerous from Jackson Reagan. First one would have been. They go short to Messi. Now Messi will send it in to the Emerald City supporters behind Andrew Thomas's goal. Christian Roldan tried to settle. He got it wrong. Now maybe a transition moment for Miami. Messi turns Suarez to his left, De Paul to his right. Rodrigo De Paul. De Paul into Busquets, backheel, gets it to De Paul. Messi, Vargas on his back. De La Vega pokes it away from his front. Now Roldan, De Paul. Messi, right. Osasie De Rosario, the lone goal in this first half. But Miami begin the second half with intention. Messi to Busquets, crashing into Rothrow. Have the ball. They wanted to be able to do this and possess and play their game. They're at 64% possession. Knocks it down to Jordi Alba. He's been with any kind of purpose. This is actually better from Bright to win that ball in pressure. Messi battling with Christian Roldan, who sends it out for a corner. I mean, I get the numbers will tell you that Miami's dictated that. Jordi Alba cuts it back to Suarez. Oh, what a ball! He bends it over. It was textbook inter-Miami. And Lionel Messi, a rare miss. I mean, this is what Suarez has done all season long. Last year, he was the goal scorer. Now the goal provider, that cut is ridiculous. Against the grain, completely turning three sounders inside and out and on. Jordi Alba to Lionel Messi. It's the flat three in the midfield. Now Messi can float on the right side here. De la Vega takes it off of Messi. Messi over to Jordi Alba. The Rosario hold up has Lujan chasing the kids away. Yeah, that moment. Now Messi spraying it towards Allende. Thomas came, now has to backtrack Allende. Confident from Ian Frey. Suarez to De Paul. Miami finding their rhythm. Messi to Bright. Bright, Suarez. Oh, what a ball! Allende! Time for Segovia. Finds De Paul, gives to Messi. Segovia, 50 for false nine. Leyva will play underneath him, chase the game, fill into the midfield, and Kosa Rienzi will play right wing. And Paul Rothrock. Christian Roldan were in the first half. The second half, they haven't had any kind of imprint on this game. And some of that is the front three or four, not really good aim for Miami. De Paul to Messi. Gets around Leyva or tries to. Cuts it back. Now sprays it over to Jordi Alba, who can't keep it in play. It was just a little too far. Well, it's amazing how they find each other in such. Here they come again. Suarez, Jordi Alba finds Messi where they want to. Again, his shot was blocked. Christian Roldan quick to it. The right kind of ball here can go untouched into the back of the net. Leyva drives it in. Frey heads away defensively. It's out to Lionel Messi. That's clean, Baker writing and Leyva take it all over the field. Where would Inter-Miami be without Yannick Bright? He just cuts it on a yellow, so he can't rely on a late challenge. He's got to allow him to do it. Missing the goal completely. Stepo, Bright breaks it up. I mean, but Bright's in every right spot at the perfect time. Christian Roldan, Leyva all over Messi, who goes back to Falcone. Bright, carry the ball forward. Suarez over to Messi, leaves it for Allende. Allende floating it back. Nobody there for Miami. Vargas heads away. It's there. Allende, Messi, Messi blocked by Neymar. Stepover, Manungu blocked by Bright. In the League's Cup final, to put the Sounders up 2-0. Roldan scores! He has tapped and pushed all the right buttons since he became manager here in Seattle. They're not quite on 10 yet, Seattle, but this would be trophy number nine if they can finish this. And it has played out that way. The players involved in the goals for Seattle. Alex Roldan, a draft pick. He was almost cut as a central midfielder before there were so many players out. Injured, suspended. Hasn't mattered for Seattle, who are minutes away. But Messi trying to get away and he can't. He hasn't been able to much tonight. It's exactly what happened. And then chaos ensued. The ninth trophy for Seattle in 17 seasons. Different today. What a show. What a performance from from Alex Roldan. And for Lionel Messi, Taylor, he had his chance. He did. He had his chance that you would bet everything he would have finished. The tournament is Lionel Messi, a win player of the tournament. That's something you hold forever. And the Seattle players applauding Messi and Miami as they make their way up onto the stage. The stage that saw them lift the trophy a couple of years ago. Tonight, they were second best, Sascha. They were. And that's more of a credit to Seattle. Mascherano is the veteran goalkeeper of star. He makes his way off the field. Messi dejected. But tonight is all about the Seattle Sounders.