Sports
Miami’s maiden MLS Cup title caps off a long ambitious project
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — Seconds after the final whistle rang, “La Gozadera” by Gente De Zona immediately began to echo throughout the speakers of Chase Stadium as Inter Miami triumphed 3-1 over Vancouver Whitecaps at the 2025 MLS Cup.
With pink smoke filling the air of Fort Lauderdale and multi-colored confetti blasting into the air, team captain Lionel Messi hoisted the MLS Cup alongside Miami players to make club history.
Tears streamed down most players’ faces, each with a different backstory behind the universal emotion. For some, it represented coming back from a difficult injury to earn a spot in the starting 11, while for others, the tears signified a new chapter in their career.
Then, a familiar moment later emerged on the pitch, as longtime teammates Messi, Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba embraced each other with the euphoria of being crowned champions together one final time.
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The four danced together in a circle, jumping up and down as teammates slowly incorporated to erupt in a massive celebration. Players sang, danced and let go of the expectations of a 58-game season.
With a happy ending that could only be previously illustrated by Walt Disney himself, Inter Miami now waves goodbye to Alba and Busquets as the two Spaniards ride into the retirement sunset with one last trophy in hand.
Miami’s triumph on Saturday stands as a reward for a team that head coach Javier Mascherano previously labeled “resilient,” as each member of the club made the necessary sacrifices and stepped up to reach the cup. As a unified front, each member did their part to achieve the ultimate goal.
“I think the players have had the strength to bounce back from every tough moment we’ve experienced this season. We’re heading into the final match on Saturday, it’s all or nothing. I think it’s a great reward for the work the players have put in throughout the year, for what they’ve accomplished as a group. And well, the main course is on Saturday. It will all come down to how much we want to win it. So let’s hope we wake up very hungry on Saturday,” said Mascherano on Thursday.
And Inter Miami feasted.
A season that started with doubts, but fixed itself
The 2025 season kicked off with massive expectations and criticism surrounding Miami after the team hired Mascherano as head coach, a manager with no previous club experience. Mascherano went from identifying young players with the Argentina youth national teams to harnessing the power of some of the game’s greatest figures at Inter Miami to lift previously unattainable trophies.
With the weight of coaching his former teammates and longtime friends on his shoulders, Mascherano set out to prove himself and bring glory to Fort Lauderdale.
Years ago, Mascherano said, “one learns more in the losses than in the triumphs. Victories tend to deform the situation.”
And he went on to learn from a Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal elimination against the Vancouver Whitecaps, losing the Leagues Cup final against the Seattle Sounders and falling in the round of 16 of the FIFA Club World Cup.
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Messi’s 2 assists help lead Inter Miami to first MLS Cup title
Lionel Messi records a pair of assists as Inter Miami take down the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 to win the MLS Cup.
With one trophy left to play for, Mascherano made sure to apply each lesson from the previous losses. But the most important of the season came in the form of a one-game suspension for Suárez in the decisive final game of the Round One series against Nashville SC. Throughout the year, his starting trident rarely changed. The wingers may have varied as players went through injury spells, but the dynamic duo of Suárez and Messi stood as a staple of the 2025 season through every tournament.
But Mascherano was forced to adapt as his veteran forward sat out one of the most important games of the year. With the team looking to avoid the ridicule of being eliminated in the first round of playoffs for the second consecutive time with Messi on the roster and the hopes of a trophy relying on one game, Mascherano incorporated newly signed Mateo Silvetti into the lineup.
The initial change came by force of a suspension, but the subsequent games served as a lesson learned by Mascherano. Following the final Round One match, the coach maintained Suárez on the bench and went on to record a 4-0 victory against FC Cincinnati and a 5-1 triumph over New York City FC to win the Eastern Conference final for the first time in club history.
“Clearly, for me, it’s not an easy decision when you have to take off a player like Luis, with his track record, with the importance he has for the team and the club,” the coach said.
Despite the difficulty of the decision, Mascherano stepped up and stood his ground. Suárez kicked off the MLS Cup on the bench, like the previous two knockout matches, and did not see time on the pitch. Instead, Mascherano prioritizes the needs of the game by including Yannick Bright and others, rather than substituting Suárez into a game he didn’t feel required his skillset to win.
Mascherano, who communicated to his players from the sidelines with instructions and encouragement, evolved from a nervous, newly appointed coach engulfed by expectations into the necessary leader who proved willing to do whatever was necessary to reach success.
And he wasn’t the only one to make sacrifices at Inter Miami. Players quickly followed the path of their coach by learning and evolving from each passing game, understanding that it takes everyone to win.
Team depth proves to be vital
Suárez, a world-renowned player, went from an undoubted starter to a bench player in the span of one week during the most important part of the season.
But the player decided with grace, no matter how difficult internally.
“I always want to play. Throughout my career, I’ve almost always had the opportunity to play, but, with the maturity I have now, you understand the situation, you understand the reason and the plan that the coach has for a match like the one against FC Cincinnati, and you do it well without any problems,” he said to ESPN.
“It was about conveying to those who were on the field to give their maximum, and then there were seven or eight of us waiting with the same energy as them because we are a group. Obviously, you want to play more than you get to play, but that’s how it is. It’s about training, giving more, and showing the coach that you can play more than 10 or 15 minutes, as I’ve been doing.”
His reaction proved crucial, according to Mascherano.
“He has shown the greatness he possesses as a player and as a person because we know that many times when you have to make these decisions,” said Mascherano. “It can be difficult for the other person to understand, and the truth is that he has been a clear example of his commitment to what he wants for the team, for the group, and he has sent a great message to his teammates above all.”
Messi proved his commitment to the team by prioritizing Inter Miami’s schedule, even if it meant not participating in an Argentina national team friendly in Miami. The MLS schedule did not pause for the October international window, coinciding with an Argentina friendly against Venezuela at Hard Rock Stadium.
By that point in the season, Inter Miami had already qualified for the postseason with the Eastern Conference standings and home advantage at stake only. Still, Messi failed to participate against Venezuela and wore the pink Herons jersey one day later against Atlanta United.
“Clearly Leo was predisposed to playing [with Miami] even though he trained with the national team all week,” said Mascherano in October. “We know he’s a player that is totally special and unique. Beyond not training with us, we saw what he did today. He helped us win. It was an important win because it clinched us the third-place finish [in the Eastern Conference table.]”
Without that victory, Inter Miami would’ve concluded the season with 62 points, one behind the Whitecaps, which would’ve given the Canadian team the home-field advantage for MLS Cup.
Messi continued to prove his leadership through sacrifices at various points in the season on and off the field, even playing through injuries and fatigue to be a part of the team.
Players like Oscar Ustari also played a role, going from starting goalkeeper to supporting Rocco Ríos Novo as Miami’s new goalkeeper. The veteran keeper made the decision well, encouraging his younger counterpart in this new stage.
Mascherano continuously echoed the same message throughout the year: it takes all of us.
“It’s not only the 11 who start that are important, but also the rest of the team. Especially in these kinds of stages, the most important thing is that everyone has to be alert because we’re going to need everyone,” he said.
And together, the team lifted the cup.
The UEFA Champions League is back this week, but for the biggest clubs, it is becoming increasingly important that it never goes away. Which is why Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea are so desperate to qualify for next season’s competition.
Commercially, they are three of the sport’s most powerful clubs, but a year outside the Champions League can lead to severe financial turbulence due to the costs of keeping pace with the rest of the elite.
Between them, Liverpool, United and Chelsea have won 11 Champions Leagues/European Cups. Add in Aston Villa‘s 1982 European Cup triumph and the four clubs chasing three Champions League spots via the Premier League — assuming Arsenal and Manchester City finish in the top two — have won as many titles as Italy’s Serie A in 70 years of European Cup football.
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But while history and prestige are significant factors in clubs wanting to compete alongside Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain, nothing is more important than the money that Champions League participation generates.
For the likes of Madrid, Barça, Bayern and PSG, playing in the Champions League has become an annual privilege. Their domestic power is now so great that it’s unthinkable for any of those clubs to miss out on qualification.
PSG’s last season outside the Champions League was 2011-12, with Bayern (2007-08), Barcelona (2003-04) and Madrid (1996-97) almost forgetting what a season without Champions League football looks like. But there are simply not enough qualification spots for the Premier League’s so-called Big Six (which continues to include Tottenham Hotspur, who are fighting relegation this season), plus Villa and Newcastle United, to be able to spend with the confidence that a Champions League payday will fund their operation.
PSG banked £125.06 million from the UEFA prize fund for winning last season’s Champions League, with runners-up Inter Milan earning £118.3 million. Of the eight quarterfinalists last season, Villa’s £72.5 million overall Champions League earnings were the smallest, but still a huge financial windfall for the club.
United, who failed to qualify for any European competition this season, are the best example of how much it can hurt a team to miss out. Aside from the UEFA prize pot, they are also missing out on additional matchday revenue at Old Trafford, which amounts to approximately £5 million for every home game. Had they enjoyed Villa’s run to the quarterfinals last term, United would have had six Champions League home games, which equates to another £30 million they could have earned.
United also have financial penalties within sponsorship deals triggered by failing to play in the Champions League, including a £10 million deduction in their £90 million-a-year shirt deal with Adidas. And although United’s playing and coaching staff suffer a 25% salary reduction whenever they fail to play in the Champions League — their annual wage bill was £313 million in their most recent accounts — that cost savings (£78.25 million) does not cover the revenue lost by not playing in the Champions League. United owe £422 million in outstanding transfer payments and £238 million of that figure is due to be repaid by the end of next season, which means a return to the Champions League for the first time since 2023-24 is crucial.
Chelsea are another club with a huge reliance on Champions League earnings. According to data released by UEFA last month, Chelsea made a loss of £355 million in 2024-25 — a figure more than twice as big as the next-highest loss, recorded by Lyon.
The £84 million banked from winning the FIFA Club World Cup last summer was a much-needed financial boost for Chelsea after playing in the UEFA Conference League last season, which generated just £19.06 million despite Enzo Maresca’s team winning the competition by defeating Real Betis in the final.
Even Liverpool, last season’s Premier League champions, face a financial headache if they miss out on Champions League qualification this season. Despite their league title, which earned Liverpool £174.9 million in prize money, and £46 million from reaching the Champions League round of 16, the club reported a pre-tax profit of just £15.2 million in their most recent financial accounts.
Liverpool also reported an annual wage bill of £428 million — the biggest in the Premier League — and that figure does not include the new contracts awarded to Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk last summer, nor does it factor in the salaries paid to new signings including Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike following last year’s £450 million transfer outlay.
Within the accounts, Liverpool’s chief financial officer Jenny Beacham made clear how important it is for the team to play at the “highest level” to cover the club’s rising costs.
“The club does face significant cost challenges, including rises in administrative, staffing and operational costs, alongside the need for us to compete at the highest level of the game, across our men’s and women’s teams,” Beacham said. “Since this reporting period we have invested significantly to continue to enhance our playing squads, investing in the club’s present and in its future too.”
Liverpool have recent experience of the downsides of missing out on the Champions League, with Jürgen Klopp’s final season as manager in 2023-24 played out in the Europa League — something that impacted the plans of his successor, Arne Slot.
“It’s very important for us as a team to be in the Champions League and it has shown how important it is for this club financially,” Slot said. “The season when I arrived, there was a reason why we only signed Federico Chiesa and that was partly because of the season before there was Europa League football.
“We know we are in a transition and a transition works better if there’s money available.”
So while the Champions League is the only place for the biggest clubs to be, it is no longer simply a prestigious bonus on top of domestic success. It has become an essential revenue driver, but in the Premier League, top clubs will inevitably miss out and the price of failure is becoming bigger and bigger.
NFL free agency officially begins at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, with the start of the new league year. But as of Monday at noon ET, when the legal negotiation window opened, teams can now agree to terms with players.
Quarterback Malik Willis is signing with the Dolphins and Tua Tagovailoa is signing with the Falcons, but which team could be interested in Kyler Murray? What’s the latest on edge rusher Trey Hendrickson? And which big-name players are available as trade candidates?
We’re tracking all the action of 2026 NFL free agency. Follow along live here with the latest signings, trades, cuts and contract restructures.
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan State point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. drew attention for another kick toward an opponent’s groin.
Fears was called for a technical after a video review Sunday that showed he swung his right leg backward and into Elliot Cadeau during the first half of the eighth-ranked Spartans’ 90-80 loss at No. 3 Michigan.
“I got fouled, I should have probably just fell,” Fears said after the game. “It’s an unfortunate situation.”
Spartans coach Tom Izzo said he didn’t think Fears kicked Cadeau on purpose. Izzo, though, added that he “chewed him out about it” during the game.
“Nobody is tougher on him than me,” he said. “Nobody will be tougher on him than me.”
In the emotionally charged first half, the Wolverines were called for two technical fouls as officials tried to keep the rivals in check.
When the Wolverines won the first matchup earlier this season, Fears appeared to intentionally trip preseason All-America forward Yaxel Lendeborg and Michigan coach Dusty May said there were several dangerous plays in the game.
During an in-game interview on CBS, Izzo said Fears is under a microscope because of what was said following the previous game.
“I told him I don’t even want him breathing wrong,” Izzo said.
After the game, Izzo had more to say.
“I’m sick of it being one-sided,” he said. “That’s what upset me about the first time. Fears will get his lunch from me. I wonder if some of their guys will get their lunch from what happened in the first game that didn’t get public.”
During the postgame handshake, May said Izzo congratulated him on winning the Big Ten championship.
“I think it’s a great rivalry,” May said. “I think it’s a lot of fun.”
In a game at Minnesota, Fears swung his leg backward to hit Langston Reynolds‘ groin area and was called for a foul — and a technical on review.
“I’m sick of it being one-sided. That’s what upset me about the first time. Fears will get his lunch from me. I wonder if some of their guys will get their lunch from what happened in the first game that didn’t get public.”
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo
He was scrutinized again in the following game when Illinois coach Brad Underwood asked officials to review whether Fears intentionally tripped David Mirkovic after Fears stopped in front of him, but Underwood didn’t win the appeal.
Fears, who scored 22 points and had nine assists Sunday, has had a breakout season in his third year at Michigan State after bouncing back last season from a near-death experience.
His freshman year was cut short because he needed a three-hour surgery to remove a bullet from his left thigh. While hanging out with friends on Dec. 23, 2023, during a holiday break from the team, Fears and a 19-year-old woman were shot by a male with a handgun after the man entered a residence and opened fire before fleeing.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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