MLS returns with a packed schedule and familiar chaos. From stars like Messi, Rodriguez, and Son Heung-Min to the teams you can avoid, here’s who’s actually worth your weekend watch.
World heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has swapped his gloves for boots to make a shock appearance in professional football. The boxing king came off the bench for Ukrainian outfit FC Polissya Zhytomyr to help defeat a Vancouver Whitecaps side featuring German legend Thomas Muller, earning bragging rights over the World Cup winner in a friendly clash in Spain.
Bayern Munich legend Thomas Muller has opened up on his new life in North America, revealing a bizarre mix of new hobbies including rapping and yodelling, but the Vancouver Whitecaps captain has made a candid admission about his language struggles, confessing he is simply "too lazy" to improve his English skills despite his best intentions.
After months of speculation about their long-term future in Vancouver, the Whitecaps appear to have found a path forward in the Canadian city. Fresh off their first MLS Cup final appearance, the club announced plans with the City of Vancouver for a new stadium. After more than a decade at BC Place, Vancouver are preparing to negotiate the construction of a purpose-built venue at Hastings Park.
The 2025 MLS Cup delivered record-breaking viewership on Dec. 6, drawing a combined 4.6 million viewers across platforms and setting new benchmarks for fan engagement. Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF capped the night by winning their first MLS Cup title with a 3–1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Chase Stadium.
Mic'd Up: The Apple TV analyst breaks down Inter Miami’s MLS Cup win, explains why Messi still decides everything, backs MLS’s move to a fall-spring calendar, and tips LA Galaxy to rebound in 2026.
Messi has lifted the trophy, but the real work starts now. Miami have decisions to make, Philadelphia's prodigy Cavan Sullivan is waiting for his chance, and every contender is hunting the right signing before February.
Former USMNT star Tim Howard reflected on Inter Miami’s 3-1 MLS Cup win over Vancouver, acknowledging the significance of the title while warning of challenges ahead. He said the trophy cements the club’s place in MLS's history after years of high-profile signings and marketing. He also cautioned that next year could provide challenges for Lionel Messi and warned Vancouver are on the rise.
Miami got the trophy. But Thomas Muller's Vancouver might have gotten something even more valuable: proof that they’re good enough to win it next year.
Manchester United legend David Beckham admitted he has achieved a long-term goal as his Inter Miami side won the MLS Cup for the first time. A Lionel Messi-inspired Miami earned a hard-fought 3-1 win over Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday at Chase Stadium to secure their biggest ever trophy. As the dust began to settle on their achievement, co-owner Beckham revelled in the club's triumph.
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. - Thomas Muller was sad his Vancouver Whitecaps side couldn't get past Lionel Messi and Inter Miami in the MLS Cup, but he wasn't disappointed. The German legend insisted this defeat was the start of a journey, rather than the end of one. He pointed to the team's young core and the fact the team converted a hockey city into one passionate about soccer as reasons why.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla - Lionel Messi waited almost three years to lift his first league title in North America. Now that the Argentine has helped Inter Miami lift their first franchise title, he admitted it was their main objective this season, and he appreciated the team-wide effort by Javier Mascherano's side to accomplish it.
Lionel Messi delivered a moment of magic to secure Inter Miami their first MLS Cup title, ending a two-and-a-half-year wait to lift the league's biggest prize.
Harry Kane and his Bayern Munich team-mates have wished former team-mate Thomas Muller luck ahead of Vancouver Whitecaps' MLS Cup Final against Lionel Messi's Inter Miami. Muller had an immediate impact at his new club after joining the MLS side this summer. He has led the team from the front and helped the Whitecaps to their first-ever MLS Cup final.
Ahead of MLS Cup, Fray joins GOAL Convo to talk growing up near Chase Stadium, playing with Messi and Co., and what this moment means for him and Inter Miami.
Mic’d Up: McCarty breaks down the MLS Cup - why benching Suárez was a “career-defining” call, how Müller made Vancouver must-watch, and which side he thinks has the edge.
Lionel Messi and Thomas Müller meet in an MLS Cup final full of storylines, from farewells to uncertainty, driving what should be a strong match this Saturday.
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Vancouver Whitecaps
