The Rondo, MLS Cup edition: Can Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami win it, can the Vancouver Whitecaps finish in style, and is this the best final ever?

MLS's dream contest should yield plenty of storylines, and seems finely-poised to be a highly watchable fixture between two well-matched teams

It’s MLS Cup time. Could things have gone any better for the league? Before the playoffs, if you polled 1,000 soccer fans and asked them to name their dream final, most would have picked this one.

On one side: Inter Miami and Lionel Messi. These guys are way more than eight Ballons d’Or and 10 others these days. Javier Mascherano has unlocked a bit of defensive quality at just the right moment, and there’s a real spine now – Sergio Busquets still dictating tempo, and Rodrigo De Paul arriving at exactly the right time to give Miami that extra bit of edge when matches get tight.

On the other hand, Vancouver. They’re harder to define, but they have all the right ingredients: a smart manager, a reliable supporting cast, and a star man in Brian White, who has spent all season proving he can score when it matters. Add in Sebastian Berhalter’s tireless midfield work, and you get a team perfectly built for this stage. They’ve already beaten Miami twice in knockout competition this year (even if that was a very different version of the Herons).

It’s obvious and fair to favor Miami, but in all likelihood, this will be far more than a Messi showcase. This will be a tight final, one that hangs in the balance.

So who are the key men? Who are the X-Factors? And, in the necessary act of MLS hyperbole, could this be the best MLS Cup final ever? GOAL U.S. writers break down the MLS Cup ahead of what should be a tantalizing fixture in another edition of…

AFPWhat does Miami need to do to win?

Tom Hindle: Keep the ball out of the net at their own end. This sounds like a massive "duh", but Miami are gonna score a bunch. The question is: can they stop the other guys from doing the same? In recent weeks, they've been pretty good defensively. That simply has to continue. 

Ryan Tolmich: Give the ball to Messi and get the hell out of the way. We all know how dominant he is and what he can do, so the game plan is simple: let him do those things. That, generally, is enough to win, especially in finals where the margins are usually so fine.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWhat does Vancouver need to do to win?

TH: Outside of trying to limit the best footballer ever to very few looks when he's in the form of the season? Well, they've got to be as clinical as possible. Vancouver will surely create, but Miami will create more. Muller, Brian White, and Co. need to put the ball in the net when they get their chances. This will be a shootout. Time for Vancouver to outshoot the other guys. 

RT: Well, they’re going to need to score. You aren’t going to shut Miami out, which means you’ll need to get at least two of your own while limiting damage on the other end. Can the Whitecaps do that? Absolutely. They’re better equipped to go toe-to-toe with Miami than anyone else in MLS.

Getty Images SportWho will be the X-Factor for Miami?

TH: If we're conveniently ignoring the GOAT, then Tadeo Allende is the answer here. The Argentine has been in electric form of late. Goalscoring touch is nice to have, and you'd back him to bury his looks at the moment. But he will have to be on it defensively, especially against such a high-energy Vancouver midfield. 

RT: The two young guns: Allende and Silvetti. Messi will do his usual lift, but whatever help they provide him will go a long way for the Herons. Part of the reason Miami have been so good is that their supporting cast has stepped up. If they can do that again, they’ll be good.

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Getty Images SportWho will be the X-Factor for Vancouver?

TH: Ryan Gauld. He feels like a auxiliary option now, despite the fact that 12 months ago he was simply the go-to guy for them. The attacking midfielder missed the bulk of the season due to injury and has shown flashes without being at his brilliant best. Odds are he comes off the bench here, and could add an extra injection of quality to tip the game in Vancouver's favor late on – should they need a spark.

RT: Let’s show some life for the deep-lying midfielder! Andres Cubas is an absolute monster, and he’s taken his game to a new level in these playoffs. The midfielder does so many of the little things for the Whitecaps that allow this team to thrive. He’ll need to find an even higher gear, though, in this cup final.