This guest post was written by Zach Lowy, Chief Editor and Social Media Manager of BreakingTheLines.com. Zach is a successful journalist and can be followed at @ZachLowy on X and @zachlowy.bsky.social
on Bluesky. Zach’s work can also be found on FotMob, BetUS and others.
It all comes down to this. Inter Miami and Vancouver Whitecaps will face off on Saturday in South Florida, a match that will see both teams play in their first-ever MLS Cup Final.
Even if you aren’t a fan of Major League Soccer, there are still quite a few reasons to watch this game. It will be the final game of Sergio Busquets’ illustrious career, and it could very well be the final game of Luis Suarez’s Miami career, with the Uruguayan being leapfrogged in the pecking order by Argentine teenager Matteo Silvetti in recent weeks. Whilst Busquets has emerged as one of the greatest defensive midfielders of all time, Jordi Alba has staked his claim as one of the best fullbacks of all time, and he too will be looking to close out his professional career with a title.
Ultimately, though, the biggest storyline will be Lionel Messi and Thomas Müller. While Müller will be seeking yet another victory against the reigning World Cup winner, Messi will be eyeing his second win against Müller. Today, let’s take a look at Messi and Müller’s head-to-head history.
Part 1
Whilst Messi and Müller’s first-ever meeting came in an international friendly, their first official meeting would come four months later in Cape Town, South Africa in the 2010 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal. By that time, Messi had already established himself as one of the best players in the world’s game for Barcelona, whilst Müller was quickly going from an unknown quantity to a world-renowned phenom. Whilst Messi was kept under wraps, Müller opened the scoring within three minutes via a header to lead Germany to a 4-0 victory. And although Müller would miss the following match due to suspension, he nevertheless left the tournament with a bronze medal and the Golden Boot.
Part 2
Three years later, Messi and Müller faced off in their first-ever club encounter. Once again, Müller opened the scoring, in addition to putting the finishing touches on a 4-0 beatdown, and once again, Messi was nullified. And whilst the Argentine missed the second leg in Spain with a hamstring injury, Müller scored in the second leg to secure a historic 7-0 victory and confirm Bayern Munich’s spot in the 2013 UEFA Champions League Final, where the Bavarians prevailed 2-1 against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium.
Part 3
Messi and Müller’s next meeting would come in Brazil, with both players seeking to lead their nation to their first World Cup in two decades. Both players had their chances, with Messi finding himself 1v1 with Manuel Neuer only to pull his shot wide, whilst Müller was through on goal only to fail to control the ball and allow Sergio Romero to claim it. Ultimately, though, it was Germany substitute Mario Götze who chested down André Schürrle’s cross and volleyed a thunderous shot into the net to secure a 1–0 victory in extra time.
Part 4
Revenge is a dish best served cold, and for Messi, that vengeance had spent the past four years in the freezer. Going up against his former boss Pep Guardiola, Messi opened the scoring after seizing on an errant free kick from Neuer and firing home. The second was a work of art, with Messi leaving Jerome Boateng in his dust before dinking the ball past Neuer. It was a goal that left the game’s leading pundits like Sid Lowe and Raphael Honigstein agog with Messi’s technical finesse and audacity, and it wasn’t the last goal either, with Neymar Jr. putting the tie to bed in extra time.
Part 5
Seeking to become the first team since Deportivo 2004 to overturn a three-goal lead in the UEFA Champions League, Bayern came up short in the second leg, with an early brace from Neymar giving the Bavarians a mountain to climb. By the time Müller scored in the 74th minute to give Bayern a 3-2 lead, it was too little too late; Barcelona had already laid the foundations for an aggregate win and booked their ticket for the 2015 UEFA Champions League Final, where they beat Juventus 3-1.
Part 6
Messi and Müller would have to wait another five years before their next meeting, this time in Lisbon. Müller broke the deadlock within four minutes, and he made it 4-1 for Bayern at the half-hour mark, paving the way for his Man of the Match award. Bayern would go on to thrash Barcelona 8-2 behind closed doors to secure their spot in the semifinals, before eventually prevailing with the 2020 UEFA Champions League title. Thankfully for Barcelona, there was no second leg, otherwise, they may very well have conceded double digits across the tie vs. Bayern.
Part 7
Three years later, Messi faced off against his familiar foe – this time in a Paris Saint-Germain kit. Messi struggled to deliver the goods and make up for the absence of Kylian Mbappé, whilst Müller’s action was limited after replacing Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting for the final quarter-hour. Instead, it was Kingsley Coman who stole the show. Having scored the winning goal in the 2020 Champions League Final against his boyhood club, Coman once again delivered the goods to secure a 1-0 victory in his hometown of Paris, paving the way for their spot in the quarterfinals.
Part 8
Messi and Müller would face off again in the second leg, with Müller starting in the #10 role and wearing the captain’s armband. Messi failed to find the back of the net with his three shots, whilst Müller impressed with three key passes. Similarly to other players like Richard Ríos and Kellyn Acosta, Müller delivered an all-action display on both sides of the ball, making 9 recoveries, winning 3 out of 4 tackles, and completing 4 out of 8 ground duels, as the Bavarians booked their spot in the final eight.
Will Müller continue his dominant streak against Messi? Or will La Pulga have the last laugh? Stay tuned for a phenomenal contest.
This guest post was written by Zach Lowy, Chief Editor and Social Media Manager of BreakingTheLines.com. Zach is a successful journalist and can be followed at @ZachLowy on X and @zachlowy.bsky.social on Bluesky. Zach’s work can also be found on FotMob, BetUS and others.
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