Leo Messi's Inter Miami conquers MLS with win over Vancouver Whitecaps

(AFP) With three goals orchestrated by Lionel Messi, Inter Miami became Major League Soccer (MLS) champions with a 3-1 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps in the final on Saturday.

The Argentine star pulled a stroke of genius out of his hat for Inter's first goal, scored by Colombian Édier Ocampo on an own goal in the eighth minute.

After Vancouver equalized with a goal from Canadian Ali Ahmed in the 60th minute, Messi lifted his team once again with a steal and an assist for compatriot Rodrigo De Paul's goal in the 71st.

Inter's stadium, where the final was held, erupted when Messi provided another fanciful assist for the final goal by another Argentine, Tadeo Allende, in the 6th minute of stoppage time.

Messi thus stormed the MLS throne two years after his arrival in Miami, while his eternal partners Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba capped their extraordinary soccer careers.

"This title could not slip away in front of our people, our family, in Jordi and Busi's last game," said an emotional Javier Mascherano, champion in his first season as club coach.

"We didn't play a brilliant game but we played with heart and were deserved champions," said "El Jefecito," a teammate as a player of Messi, Alba, Luis Suárez and Busquets at Barcelona.

The retirement of the Spanish legends and the uncertainty over the future of Uruguayan striker Luis Suárez, who was once again a substitute on Saturday, made this final Miami's last chance to be crowned with the so-called "Fantastic Four."

Revenge against Müller

At 38 years of age, Messi added to the most illustrious individual career in soccer and completed the conquest of the third league in which he has competed, after winning the Spanish league 10 times with Barcelona and the French league twice with Paris Saint-Germain.

The Argentine, who already dominated MLS on an individual basis with the MVP and Golden Boot awards, culminated the promise of leading Inter to the top just six months ahead of the World Cup, in which he has yet to confirm his presence.

The Argentine captain, who has just renewed his contract with Inter Miami until 2028, also settled a score with Thomas Müller, current leader of the Whitecaps and part of Germany's victory over Argentina in the 2014 World Cup.

Messi did not score in this final but was the most decisive player. With a formidable game in midfield, he orchestrated Inter's first goal and, when Vancouver equalized and was pressing for the win, he stole a ball from Paraguayan Andres Cubas and delightfully assisted De Paul's decisive goal.

De Paul, a World Cup champion with Argentina, arrived midway through the year from Atlético Madrid. He is poised to take over from Busquets and Alba in the new era that Inter Miami will open next year with its brand new stadium.

David Beckham and the rest of the leadership of this young but ambitious franchise celebrated the title with a mixture of happiness and relief, avoiding a second consecutive trophy-less season with the considered best player in history in their ranks.

"There were 11 months where we were working extremely hard, we had good and bad moments, difficulties, but this is all from the players," Mascherano said. "What they have achieved this season, fighting until the end to achieve a title."