This it it.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC will play for MLS Cup this coming Saturday, December 6.
Kickoff will be at 11:30 a.m. PT / 2:30 p.m. ET at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (live on Apple TV and TSN, with pre-match show on 730 CKNW, and CKNW.com starting at 11 a.m.).
It's a tasy matchup of what many consider to be the two best teams in the league, but only one will lift their first MLS Cup.
Let's dig into some stats.
Miami have been strong at home in MLS play this season, going 11W-3L-3D with 36 points during the regular season, and winning their three home games in the playoffs (3-1, 4-0, 5-1).
When it comes to the 'Caps, they finished the regular season tied for the fourth best away record in MLS, losing only four of their 17 road matches at 8W-4L-5D with 29 points. On the road in the playoffs, the 'Caps have advanced in both Dallas and San Diego already.
If there was any team who will not be daunted by going to Miami, it will be these 'Caps, who already won a huge game at Chase Stadium 3-1 in the semifinal second leg of this year's Concacaf Champions Cup.
It's been talked about before, but the 'Caps have set an MLS record with 21 different goalscorers in MLS play this season. That number nearly hit 22 on Saturday in San Diego when Ali Ahmed's shot ended up in the back of the net, but with a pair of deflections it eventually crossed the line as an own goal. Ahmed, however, is one of 24 different players to score a goal acorss all competitions this season, with three goals in the TELUS Canadian Championship.
At the other end of the pitch, we all know about Lionel Messi. He accounted for 59% (48/81) of Miami's goals in the regular season (29 goals, 19 assists). That has only increased in the playoffs at 77% (13/17). His 13 goal contributions are an MLS Cup Playoffs record (6 goals, 7 assists).
Including playoffs, Whitecaps FC have scored first in MLS play 21 times this season, and 21 times they have gotten a result, now officially 17W-0L-4D when scoring first. Vancouver are also still unbeaten in MLS play when holding a lead at halftime with a record of 14W-0L-3D.
Jesper Sørensen's team has conceded five equalizing goals when leading all MLS season, while scoring 12 equalizers themselves. They have defended a lead 80% of the time (20/25), and have managed to equalize themselves 63% of the time (12/19).
Miami are also unbeaten in MLS play when scoring first, going 20W-0L-3D. When conceding first, they are 3W-8L-3D. Like the 'Caps, a halftime lead has led to victory, going 20W-1L-1D. They have defended a lead a little bit less than the 'Caps, or their other recent opponents, at 72% of the time (23/32), and have managed to equalize themselves 62% of the time (13/21).
It seems once again that getting the first goal could be key. Who will open the scoring?
The 'Caps got off to an incredible start last weekend in San Diego, scoring twice inside the first 15 minutes. However, the commonality was that, yet again, the 'Caps finished the first half strong by scoring a crucial insurance goal to go up 3-0 just before halftime. As we know, statistically Whitecaps FC score the majority of their goals at the end of each half, as fitness often kicks in.
For Miami, they are always a threat to score, no matter the time. However, it's specifically the final 15 minutes of the first half where the action picks up. They have scored their joint most goals, and also conceded their most goals in the final 15 minutes of the first half (15).
Will this be when MLS Cup is decided?
Time Period | VAN Goals | SDFC Goals |
0-15 | 9 | 5 |
16-30 | 11 | 13 |
31-45 | 18 | 15 |
46-60 | 10 | 14 |
61-75 | 10 | 12 |
76-90 | 16 | 23 |
19 FIFA World Cup winners have played in MLS, but so far none have lifted MLS Cup. Conquering North America has become the final frontier of global superstardom, not seen since the days of Pele and Franz Beckenbauer in the old NASL.
That is about to change.
For Vancouver, Thomas Müller will have the chance to become the first FIFA World Cup winner to win MLS Cup. On the other side, Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Rodrigo De Paul could make history with Miami.
FIFA World Cup winners in MLS
Branco
- Brazil: 1994 World Cup
- NY/NJ MetroStars: 1997
Lothar Matthäus
- West Germany: 1990 World Cup
- NY/NJ MetroStars: 2000
Youri Djorkaeff
- France: 1998 World Cup
- New York Red Bulls: 2005-06
Denílson
- Brazil: 2002 World Cup
- FC Dallas: 2007
Thierry Henry
- France: 1998 World Cup
- New York Red Bulls: 2010-14
Alessandro Nesta
- Italy: 2006 World Cup
- Montréal Impact: 2012-13
Kléberson
- Brazil: 2002 World Cup
- Philadelphia Union: 2013
Andrea Pirlo
- Italy: 2006 World Cup
- New York City FC: 2015-17
David Villa
- Spain: 2010 World Cup
- New York City FC: 2015-18
Kaká
- Brazil: 2002 World Cup
- Orlando City SC: 2015-17
Bastian Schweinsteiger
- Germany: 2014 World Cup
- Chicago Fire FC: 2017-19
Blaise Matuidi
- France: 2018 World Cup
- Inter Miami CF: 2020-21
Thiago Almada
- Argentina: 2022 World Cup
- Atlanta United: 2022-Present
Lionel Messi
- Argentina: 2022 World Cup
- Inter Miami CF: 2022-Present
Sergio Busquets
- Spain: 2010 World Cup
- Inter Miami CF: 2022-Present
Hugo Lloris
- France: 2018 World Cup
- LAFC: 2024-Present
Olivier Giroud
- France: 2018 World Cup
- LAFC: 2024-25
Rodrigo de Paul
- Argentina: 2022 World Cup
- Inter Miami CF: 2025-Present
Thomas Müller
- Germany: 2014 World Cup
- Vancouver Whitecaps FC: 2025-Present
