The Seattle Sounders delivered a commanding performance to defeat Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami 3-0 in the Leagues Cup final on Sunday, completing their sweep of major North American trophies before a record crowd at Lumen Field. Osaze De Rosario opened the scoring in the 26th minute with a header from an Alex Roldan cross, sending the 69,314 fans into pandemonium. Roldan himself converted a penalty late in the second half, before Paul Rothrock sealed the victory in the 89th minute to spark celebrations. Seattle’s disciplined back line frustrated Miami’s star-studded attack throughout the contest. Messi saw an early header denied by Jackson Ragen, while another effort sailed over the bar after Luis Suárez created space for him early in the second half. The miss from close range shocked many given the fact that the Argentine is one of the deadliest finishers in the game from near. Miami’s best chance came in the 60th minute when Tadeo Allende missed wide from close range. Despite Miami’s pressure, the Sounders held firm. Ragen, Vargas and García combined to block repeated attempts, while goalkeeper Oscar Ustari was called into action on several occasions to deny further damage. The game reached a flashpoint when Yannik Bright’s challenge on substitute Georgi Minoungou earned Seattle a penalty in the 84th minute. Roldan calmly converted to double the advantage. Moments later, Rothrock’s angled finish completed the upset. The result extended Seattle’s trophy cabinet to include every major title available to an MLS club: two MLS Cups, a Supporters’ Shield, four US Open Cups, a CONCACAF Champions Cup and now the Leagues Cup. Their triumph came despite Miami boasting nearly triple the player wage bill, with the Sounders’ $16.7 million payroll dwarfed by Miami’s $46.8m. It was also a night of records in the stands, as the attendance figure set a new high for a Leagues Cup match and a new mark for any Sounders fixture at Lumen Field.
Poll
Did Messi’s miss cost Inter Miami the Leagues Cup?
The victory not only secured Seattle the Leagues Cup but also guaranteed direct entry into the round of 16 of the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup. Both finalists had already earned qualification for that competition, which will serve as the pathway to the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.More surprisingly, it was the timing of Inter Miami’s final defeat, which came just a week following Cristiano Ronaldo and Al-Nassr’s loss on penalties to Al-Ahli in the Saudi Super Cup final.
