FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Thomas Müller is well aware of the pressure and stress that playing in a cup final brings.
In fact, he understands those pressures better than anyone else on Vancouver Whitecaps FC, or even any player from his home nation, having won a German record 35 trophies during his illustrious career.
But you wouldn’t know it when speaking to him ahead of MLS Cup 2025 presented by Audi on Saturday against Inter Miami CF (2:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass, Apple TV; FOX, FOX Deportes; TSN, RDS).
As he greeted the media Thursday afternoon at Chase Stadium, Müller was his typical charming self, calm as ever and not at all nervous or overwhelmed by the weight of the match ahead.
“I think this match is great… Two teams with a very attractive and good-looking playing style. So yeah, a perfect final in my opinion," Müller said.
“I’m appreciative to be a part of it. And this Cup, it’s why we are here, and we want to bring him home. First time since a long time, but we’re very excited.”
Eyes on the prize
The 36-year-old's relaxed nature doesn’t mean he isn’t prepared for Saturday’s clash with Lionel Messi and other “old friends," as he called them, who have propelled Inter Miami into a global brand.
When it comes time to take the pitch for the final match of the season, he’ll be as ready as ever, prepared to add another trophy to his near-overflowing cabinet.
“At the moment I rank it number one [most important final of his career], because it’s the only final that we are talking about, it’s upcoming," said Müller, who joined Vancouver in August following 17 seasons with Bayern Munich.
“… At the moment for me, this final on Saturday is the most important thing in my life.”
High-profile bout
As the road team, Müller and the Whitecaps know there will be moments where their backs are against the wall, especially against a Miami side that's been dominant in the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs on both sides of the ball, outscoring opponents 17-4.
Though history would suggest luck may not be on their side – the last 13 MLS Cups have seen just three away teams emerge victorious – the Raumdeuter’s confidence remains undeterred.
“I’ve said, I think the offensive lineup is pretty decent, and in the last matches they scored a lot of goals. They scored a lot of also fantastic goals. So, we know what to expect from them,” Müller, who has 9g/4a in 12 games with Vancouver, shared of Inter Miami.
“But as Seba [Berhalter] already said, we are focusing on playing our game. We have a lot of belief in ourselves. I don’t mean that we believe, ‘Ok, we can win it for sure.’ We are here to win, but we trust each other on the pitch, regardless [of] any result, any situation. Since I’m here, I have this feeling we are a very, very close group.”
Messi vs. Müller
Given the shared history between Müller and Messi – they've played 10 times prior for club and country, with Müller winning seven of those clashes – eyes will gravitate towards two of the sport's biggest stars.
Müller expressed excitement at having one more chance to face off against some of his most legendary rivals, but cautioned that the result will hinge on more than just the play of a few superstars.
“We are not really close, but I was always watching them playing, and they are great players, they were great players. Some of them still are,” he said, also referencing past matches against Miami head coach Javier Mascherano and FC Barcelona legends Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Luis Suárez.
“It’s always nice when you can look back on your own history to meet them again. But regarding the result or about the game, what was in the past is not very important for the future.”
Particularly when it comes to his previous success against the GOAT, Müller was quick to interject “with my teams, never played one-on-one.”
“It doesn’t really matter for Saturday; it’s a new game," the 2014 FIFA World Cup champion said. "… I always have my confidence to beat someone or to compete with someone as a team and as an individual. So, I don’t need my history that much to be confident.
“… In the end, the game is decided on the pitch, on Saturday in the future. So, it’s a nice thing to talk about, and I hope we can continue to talk about it Saturday after the game. But you know how the game goes.”
