FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Inter Miami’s captain Lionel Messi honored his longtime teammates Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets after they secured a final trophy together in the MLS Cup final on Saturday.
Miami triumphed over the Vancouver Whitecaps with a score of 3-1 at Chase Stadium, marking the club’s first MLS Cup title since its inception as an expansion team in 2020.
This achievement added to Messi’s impressive haul, bringing his total major honors to 44, many of which he won alongside Alba and Busquets at Barcelona.
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Upon Alba and Busquets announcing their retirement before the playoffs, the team aspired to see them conclude their careers with one last trophy.
“It’s special because we came here together from the start, the three of us, and our goal was to win this important title for the club’s growth,” Messi shared with ESPN. “I’m truly happy that they can leave with a celebration. They are my best friends, and I have immense gratitude for sharing my career with them and ending it this way. I wish them the best.”
Alba and Busquets joined Inter Miami with Messi in the summer of 2023, swiftly winning the inaugural Leagues Cup and later the 2024 Supporters’ Shield, setting a record for the most points in a single season.
Another former Barcelona player, Javier Mascherano, was appointed as head coach in November 2024, joining his former teammates.
“It’s a joy to say goodbye to two football legends in the best possible way, with a deserving send-off,” said Mascherano. “These two players have made history at this club, transforming it alongside Leo. They’re now part of the early history of this club, which is small but significant—they came to change its trajectory. I’m glad they could leave in this manner.”
In Saturday’s final, Messi provided two assists for second-half goals scored by Rodrigo De Paul and Tadeo Allende after an own goal by Vancouver’s Édier Ocampo had given Miami an early lead in the eighth minute.
After Miami’s third goal, which sealed their victory in stoppage time, a thrilled Mascherano rushed onto the field to embrace Alba one last time. “I went to Jordi after the goal because Busquets was too far away,” Mascherano recounted.