The Rondo, Inter Miami champions edition: Did Lionel Messi need this win to secure his MLS legacy - and what comes next for Thomas Muller's Vancouver Whitecaps?

Inter Miami claimed MLS Cup, but will face an offseason of uncertainty with a number of key players surely on the way out in the coming months.

You can finally breathe now. MLS playoffs is over. It's done. And the game was a fitting climax to what has been a gripping playoffs. Inter Miami came out on top, winning 3-1 in a game that was really far closer than the scoreline suggests. A bit of luck, a bounce here and there, and the Vancouver Whitecaps could have easily lifted the trophy. Then again, Miami have this little guy named Lionel Messi who can turn games in an instant - and that's more or less what happened.

But what happens now? The season is over, and such is the chaos of MLS that Miami, who won the whole thing, will likely undergo a significant rebuild this offseason. Half of their starting XI could be gone within a few weeks. There is room for another Designated Player, is the Neymar rumor legit?

Vancouver, the runner-ups, won’t splash like Miami and still have issues to solve, but they’re close - one signing away from being champions themselves. And if they stumble, others are ready. LAFC have Son Heung-Min and Denis Bouanga. San Diego FC reached a conference final in their debut season. And there is competition in the East, too. Everything looks as tasty as ever, and GOAL U.S. writers break it down in another edition of... The Rondo.

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How important was it for Lionel Messi to win MLS Cup?
Tom Hindle: Once he got there, very important. If Messi had left MLS with zero MLS Cups, it would leave room for the haters to continue to hate. Failing to win without making it to the final would be a bad look. But getting there and falling short in the last game of the season? Yikes. Good thing he was the sole difference maker then!
Ryan Tolmich: Extremely important. Everything is gravy now that the big ole trophy isn't hanging over his head. He has the individual accolades, obviously, but now has the big domestic team ones, too - outside of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. There is no denying that his tenure has been an overwhelming success now that there's no big "but" hanging over him or Inter Miami. Now, the focus turns to seeing how much further he can push boundaries before he inevitably calls it a day.

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Were Miami deserved winners on the day?
TH: Honestly? Not quite. Vancouver dominated for the best part of an hour - something Mascherano admitted in his post-match presser. The Herons were on the back foot for most of the game and won it, in effect, thanks to three moments of magic from the best to ever do it.
RT: Absolutely. They did exactly what they had to do early on the attacking end, withstood the Whitecaps' push and, ultimately, put the game to bed with a late goal. That's what champions do, and that's why Messi and co. lifted the trophy this weekend.
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Can Messi and Miami repeat?
TH: Is it possible? Certainly. But there are plenty of other good teams out there who will surely strengthen this offseason. LAFC are a player away, while Vancouver aren't far behind. FC Cincinnati will also be in the mix. If Miami get their offseason right, they will certainly be favorites. But nothing is guaranteed.
RT: Let's see what their offseason looks like first. If these playoffs taught them anything, it's that the recipe for getting the most out of Messi is surrounding him with young, hungry stars that can do the running he can't anymore. Is that as fun as playing with your best friends? Not quite, but it is infinitely more successful. Let's see if they stick with that vibe in the interest of winning.

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How much of a rebuild do Miami need this offseason?
TH: Half of their team could be gone within a couple of weeks. Alba and Busquets are already out. Suarez likely is, too. Meanwhile, Baltasar Rodriguez, Tadeo Allende, and Rocco Rios Novo are in on loan. Maybe one or two of those get made permanent, but that still leaves some gaping holes. Honestly, it depends on the Messi effect.
RT: A significant one. They're going to lose at least two key pieces in Busquets and Alba, while Suarez appears to be on the way out, too. Players like Baltasar Rodriguez, Tadeo Allende, and Rocco Rios Novo are all on loan, as is Rodrigo De Paul, although he seems almost certain to stay. Either way, the club has plenty of spots to fill and, of course, they have the best draw in the world to fill them: Messi.
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Do you expect Vancouver to contend next year?
TH: Absolutely! Thomas Muller said it right after the game: This is a team still on the up. If they had brought Muller in a few months earlier and had a little more time to adjust to his game, Saturday might have been a different story. They will need to get this winter right and stay fit during the World Cup. But otherwise, they will certainly be among the faves.
RT: Yeah, they'll be fine. It'll be interesting to see if some of these players regress to the mean or if they all did actually take these big leaps forward. Either way, with a full preseason with Muller, they'll be in a pretty good place to perform in what is, admittedly, a very crowded Western Conference.
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Way too early prediction for 2026?
TH: Unless Miami massively screw things up in the transfer market (possible), MLS Cup looks like it's theirs to lose. This writer is playing it safe. Ask again in March, though, and things might be different.
RT: It all depends on what Inter Miami does on the transfer market, but it's worth betting on them to get it right. If they do, they're favorites again, but even if they don't, they still have Messi, and that's enough to buy them some time at worst.

How important was it for Lionel Messi to win MLS Cup?

Were Miami deserved winners on the day?

Can Messi and Miami repeat?

How much of a rebuild do Miami need this offseason?

Do you expect Vancouver to contend next year?

Way too early prediction for 2026?