Thomas Muller and Lionel Messi's New Silverware Won't Add to Their Record-Breaking Trophy Hauls
Lionel Messi and Thomas Müller celebrated victories on Saturday evening in Major League Soccer competition, though these achievements won't be added to their legendary trophy collections.
Following Messi's assist in Inter Miami's commanding 4–1 victory against New York City FC, the Argentine star and his teammates secured the Eastern Conference Championship in the MLS Cup playoffs. Later that evening, Müller and Vancouver Whitecaps defeated San Diego FC 3–1 to claim the Western Conference title.
This coming Saturday marks a historic moment as both teams will compete in their inaugural MLS Cup final, with Inter Miami hosting the Whitecaps at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
FREEDOM TO DREAM 💗 pic.twitter.com/QFknlZq4Vj
However, these Eastern and Western Conference championships are not classified as major honors and won't be included in the remarkable trophy collections of Messi and Müller. While these victories represent meaningful achievements, they essentially recognize the playoff semifinal victors.
Transfermarkt, the authoritative source for football statistics and records, has verified that conference trophies are not deemed official honors. Additionally, these titles don't guarantee automatic qualification for the Concacaf Champions Cup.
Western Conference Champs, baby!! 🏆
Next, MLS Cup Final 👀#VWFC | #OwnTheSummit pic.twitter.com/cT0I5cChCb
Major League Soccer teams can capture multiple officially recognized honors annually, with the league's two premier trophies being the MLS Cup, presented to the playoff champion, and the Supporters' Shield, which Miami earned in 2024 as the top regular-season performer.
Beyond these primary MLS accolades, clubs can pursue the Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup, U.S. Open Cup, and for Canadian franchises like Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal, the Voyageurs Cup and Canadian Championship, which Müller helped secure in September.
Major League Soccer isn't unique in downplaying Conference Championships. Both the National Hockey League and National Basketball Association see some teams avoid touching their respective conference trophies due to superstitious beliefs about jinxing their championship hopes.
Currently, while both Messi and Müller may have fresh trophy photographs, their official counts remain at 46 and 35 trophies respectively, and they'll aim to add another legitimate honor next week in the decisive MLS Cup showdown, where the victor will raise the Phillip F. Anschutz Trophy.