Vancouver Whitecaps did something to Messi no team globally has ever done before
The Vancouver Whitecaps are winning games and making history in the process.
The Whitecaps are off to the Concacaf Champions Cup final after beating Inter Miami and Lionel Messi 5-1 on aggregate. They won the first leg 2-0 at BC Place and followed that up with a huge 3-1 victory in Miami.
It’s an astounding result for a Whitecaps side that has been on absolute fire this season. They’re sitting atop the MLS table and are now in the final for North America’s premier club competition.
In knocking off Miami again last night, the Whitecaps also became the first club ever to win both of their first two matches against Messi.
The 37-year-old Messi has played 641 matches across his professional club career, which started in 2003. No other team, except for the Whitecaps, have managed to beat him in their first two times facing the soccer star.
The Whitecaps not only beat Messi in consecutive matches, but they also won both games by multiple goals and thoroughly looked like the better team. They’re playing at an extremely high level and have proven it’s not a fluke.
The Vancouver Whitecaps are the first club to win their first two matches against Lionel Messi.
EVER. 😶#ConcaChampions | #VWFC pic.twitter.com/uHAcH1rhnD
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) May 1, 2025
Messi had five goals in five Concacaf Champions Cup appearances leading into the semi-final against the Whitecaps. He didn’t score in either leg as the Whitecaps did a very good job at shutting him down.
Messi played every second of both semi-final games as the Concacaf Champions Cup was Miami’s main focus this season. But the Whitecaps, who are still missing star Ryan Gauld, were too much to handle.
The Whitecaps supporters were fully behind their team in both games. They booed Messi during his first appearance in Vancouver whenever he touched the ball. There was also a group that made the trip to Miami, and their voices could be heard through the broadcast.
The Whitecaps have secured their place in the tournament final on June 1. They’ll face the winner of Mexican sides Cruz Azul and Tigres UANL, who are playing the second leg of their respective semi-final tonight.