Unicaus NEWS
Thomas Muller played down the personal rivalry with Lionel Messi ahead of the MLS Cup final, emphasising that the clash is about teams, not individuals.
German football icon Thomas Muller has sparked early mind games with Lionel Messi and Inter Miami ahead of the MLS Cup final. Muller, who now plays for Vancouver Whitecaps, carries a long history of fierce battles with Messi from their clashes in European football and on the international stage. Interestingly, despite Messi being widely hailed as the GOAT, his track record against Muller’s sides hasn’t always been flattering, with several high-stakes duels in the past going the German’s way. Messi has won on three occasions as compared to Muller’s seven in head-to-head.
The long-time rivals are set to clash once more in the MLS Cup final, with Vancouver Whitecaps taking on Inter Miami. Vancouver earned their maiden MLS Cup final berth with a 3-1 win over hosts San Diego FC in the Western Conference Final, while Messi’s Inter Miami dominated New York City FC 5-1.
Muller played down the personal rivalry with Lionel Messi ahead of the MLS Cup final, emphasising that the clash is about teams, not individuals. Speaking to MLSsoccer.com, he highlighted the strength and unity of Vancouver Whitecaps compared to Inter Miami’s reliance on Messi.
“It’s not about Messi against Thomas Muller; it’s Miami against the Whitecaps. Maybe they rely a little bit more on him than we do on me, because we are such a good group, you know what I mean?” Muller said.
Also Read – Kylian Mbappe scores again but Real Madrid drops points against Girona to give Barcelona an advantage in title race
Muller also praised Messi, calling him “the greatest player who played our game and is still playing our game,” and noted that the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has attracted a bigger audience to MLS.
“If more people are watching, the value also for you as a player, as an individual, also for your team and also for your franchise, is way bigger,” he explained.
Muller opens up on his own impact at Vancouver Whitecaps
Muller further discussed his role at Vancouver Whitecaps, noting the team was already strong when he joined in August, though injuries and a bumpy summer slightly affected their momentum before the Concacaf final.
“When I came in in August, they were already in a really good shape. Until the Concacaf final, they were doing really good. I think the summer break was a little bit bumpy road, some injuries and a little bit less wins,” he added.
-
At HT Sports Desk, passionate reporters work round the clock to provide detailed updates from the world of sports. Expect nuanced match reports, previews,reviews, technical analysis based on statistics, the latest social media trends, expert opinions on cricket, football, tennis, badminton, hockey,motorsports, wrestling, boxing, shooting, athletics and much more. Read Less …Read More
See Less
