The MLS Cup Playoffs are heating up, but despite all the noise, one thing is clear: the Vancouver Whitecaps are not in the final just yet. Their next hurdle is a massive one. On Saturday, November 22, they host LAFC at BC Place in a high-stakes Western Conference Semifinal.
Win that, and they move on to the Western Conference Final on November 30, where Minnesota United or the Seattle Sounders will be waiting. Lose it, and the dream ends right there.
Still, dreams are powerful fuel, and nobody is stoking them quite like Thomas Müller.
The German legend, who joined Vancouver mid-season and instantly became a fan favourite, has been at the centre of headlines this week thanks to his honest and slightly mischievous remarks about Lionel Messi. In an MLS-produced interview posted by MLS via their official X account, Müller leaned into the long-running Messi vs. Müller narrative with a smile.
Watch the video below:
He joked, referring to his curious dominance over Messi, who recently visited the Camp Nou, across their careers. And it’s not just talk; the numbers back him: Müller’s teams have beaten Messi’s seven times in their ten meetings, from the Champions League to the World Cup.
He said:
I know the discussions in the fan bases, you know. Because it’s a Barcelona thing, it’s also two big players coming up.
My history with him forces me to hope for a final against Miami, So it’s not my fault. They brought me in to say that.
He didn’t stop there, either. Speaking on MLS brands and club profiles, Müller quipped,
Inter Miami is maybe the biggest brand in the East. The Whitecaps are the future biggest brand in the West. Just kidding, but I’m working on it.
Of course, any Müller vs. Messi face-off is still hypothetical. Inter Miami, who defeated Nashville to reach the semi-final as reported by Softfootball, must first beat FC Cincinnati in their Eastern Conference semi-final on November 23. Both clubs have real work ahead.
But with the MLS Cup Final set for December 6 at the higher seed’s stadium, fans are already whispering about a showdown between two football titans, one still dominating the headlines, the other rewriting them in Canada.
