Messi vs. Müller: Epic Showdowns That Defined a Rivalry—Ranked Ahead of 2025 MLS Cup Final Clash

During one of Thomas Müller's initial interviews following his move to Vancouver Whitecaps FC, he looked straight into the camera and declared, "I will hunt you again," referring to Inter Miami's Lionel Messi. 

These two soccer icons are set to face off in a decisive MLS Cup final on December 6th at Chase Stadium in Miami. The champion will make history as the first player ever to capture both a FIFA World Cup and an MLS Cup. 

This marks the 11th encounter between Müller and Messi, with nine being competitive fixtures. Müller holds the upper hand historically, claiming victory in seven of eight competitive contests, while Messi has triumphed in both exhibition matches. 

How might the 2025 MLS Cup rank among the greatest Müller vs. Messi showdowns?

Here, Sports Illustrated evaluates all their previous encounters. 

Lionel Messi vs. Thomas Müller Career Head-to-Head

7. Messi Dominates Exhibition Matches

Although Müller has secured seven victories in eight competitive encounters, Messi commands the friendly matches, winning both contests between Argentina and Germany. 

Their inaugural meeting saw Messi's Argentina triumph 1–0 in March 2010, with the decisive goal coming from former Inter Miami forward Gonzalo Higuaín, who held Miami's all-time scoring record before Messi's arrival changed everything. 

Argentina and Germany clashed again in a 2012 international friendly, where Messi found the net in a 3–1 victory, while Müller featured for only 32 minutes.

6. 2022–23 UEFA Champions League Round of 16

Messi's stint at PSG was meant to deliver another UEFA Champions League crown, but that dream never materialized. He faced Müller's Bayern Munich in the Round of 16 two seasons ago, and despite the German's failure to score, the Bundesliga champions eliminated PSG 3–0 across both legs. 

Bayern subsequently fell 4–1 on aggregate to Manchester City in the quarterfinal stage.

5. 2012–13 UEFA Champions League Semifinal

Müller netted three goals across both legs in the 2012–13 Champions League semifinals as Bayern experienced their golden period of the early 2010s, one year after losing to Didier Drogba's Chelsea FC in the 2012 Champions League final. 

Though Messi missed the second leg, he participated for Barcelona in the opening match, where Bayern secured a commanding 4–0 home victory. Following Barcelona's elimination, Bayern proceeded to defeat Der Klassiker opponents Borussia Dortmund in an all-German UEFA Champions League final. 

4. 2010 FIFA World Cup Quarterfinal 

The 2010 World Cup proved unforgettable for Müller as he earned the Golden Boot with five goals across six matches, including one during a devastating 4–0 quarterfinal victory over Messi's Argentina. 

The matchup between 20-year-old Müller and 23-year-old Messi represented their first competitive encounter following an initial friendly where Argentina had emerged victorious. 

Unfortunately for Müller, the semifinal didn't unfold as planned, with Germany falling 1–0 to Spain, who then defeated the Netherlands and Müller's future teammate Arjen Robben in the final. Müller did, however, score in a 3–2 victory over Luis Suárez's Uruguay in the third-place playoff. 

3. 2019–20 UEFA Champions League Quarterfinal

The most lopsided result in this rivalry belongs to Müller, who scored twice as Bayern Munich demolished FC Barcelona 8–2 in what stands as the most devastating defeat of Messi's career. 

The encounter took place in Lisbon, Portugal, due to COVID-19 restrictions, with no spectators present. It was also a single-elimination format, unlike the traditional two-legged Champions League quarterfinals. 

While Müller helped guide the Whitecaps, the match also showcased Vancouver academy graduate Alphonso Davies, who recorded an assist. Müller couldn't have predicted he'd eventually join Davies's hometown club years later. 

Bayern continued their run to capture the 2020 Champions League title, narrowly defeating Paris Saint-Germain in the final.

2. 2014–15 UEFA Champions League Semifinal

Messi's path to his fourth and final UEFA Champions League trophy went through Bayern Munich as FC Barcelona secured a 5–3 aggregate victory in the semifinals, following a commanding 3–0 performance in the first leg at Camp Nou. 

The opening leg featured Messi scoring twice and assisting Neymar, while the return fixture saw current Inter Miami striker Luis Suárez contribute two assists as Neymar scored a brace, with Müller finding the net for Bayern.

The first-leg triumph represented one of only three occasions where Messi has overcome a Müller-led squad, and the victory propelled Barcelona to the final, where they defeated Juventus with current Miami stars Messi, Suárez, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets all featuring in the lineup. 

1. 2014 FIFA World Cup Final

The most prestigious encounter between Müller and Messi occurred in the 2014 World Cup final, where Müller delivered the assist for Mario Götze's decisive extra-time goal, clinching Germany's World Cup triumph over Argentina. 

Before the 2025 MLS Cup, the 2014 final remained the sole occasion when Müller and Messi competed with silverware directly at stake. Both forwards played the complete 120 minutes that evening. 

At that point, Messi had yet to capture a major international title. Two years later, he would suffer defeat in the Copa América Centenario and briefly step away from international football. Fortunately, he eventually returned to Argentina's national squad and subsequently claimed the 2022 World Cup and two Copa América trophies.