FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla – For most teams, the prospect of losing your star player and club captain to a long-term injury at the start of the year would be devastating.

It all comes down to this: Inter Miami CF host Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday for MLS Cup 2025 presented by Audi (2:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass, Apple TV; FOX, FOX Deportes; TSN, RDS).

To me, this one felt preordained.

There are several ways to measure Vancouver Whitecaps FC’s advancement since Axel Schuster arrived from German giants Schalke 04 to take up sporting director duties in November of 2019.

Familiar foes Lionel Messi and Thomas Müller resume their legendary rivalry on Saturday at MLS Cup 2025 presented by Audi when Inter Miami CF welcome Vancouver Whitecaps FC to Chase Stadium (2:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass, Apple TV; FOX, FOX Deportes; TSN, RDS).

SAN DIEGO – Vancouver Whitecaps FC had to fly far from home, and Snapdragon Stadium was full, fierce and loud as San Diego FC fought for their Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs lives to the very end.

Thomas Müller has played in more than his share of big matches, as you’d surmise from his 35 career trophies, an all-time record among German footballers.

Jesper Sørensen is 52 years old. He’s spent his entire adult life either playing or coaching soccer. He logged more than 300 club matches during his days as a midfielder, managed nearly as many at this point, and witnessed hundreds more as an assistant.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC won an all-time Western Conference Semifinal on Saturday night, eliminating LAFC from the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs on penalty kicks after a 2-2 draw.

Over a week before LAFC travels to British Columbia for a mouthwatering Western Conference Semifinal matchup against the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday night (9:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass, Apple TV), the hosts announced BC Place had already sold out for the match, expectedly setting the club's new Audi

Supercharged by the summer arrival of two superstars, the Western Conference Semifinal clash between Vancouver Whitecaps FC and LAFC on Nov. 22 at BC Place has the makings of a classic (9:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass, Apple TV).

Thomas Müller’s arrival in British Columbia is a decent moment to start a story about his MLS adventure.

FC Dallas are heading to the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for the 21st time in their history, following a 2-1 win at Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Decision Day.

Let’s spin through all five games from the weekend, because they all had Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs implications in various ways.