Seattle Sounders are your 2025 Leagues Cup champions after dispatching Inter Miami at Lumen Field on Sunday evening.
Osaze De Rosario scored from a headed-in cross in the first half, before Alex Roldan and Paul Rothrock sealed the game in the final 10 minutes, as Seattle claimed the Leagues Cup with a 3–0 victory in front of over 69,000 fans.
With the win, the Sounders became the first team in the United States to win every possible trophy, adding the previously elusive Leagues Cup title to their collection of two MLS Cups, four U.S. Open Cups, a Supporters’ Shield and a Concacaf Champions Cup.
De Rosario, the son of four-time MLS Cup champion Dwayne De Rosario, opened the scoring in the 26th minute with his fourth goal of the tournament, leaping to head Alex Roldan’s cross past Miami goalkeeper Oscar Ustari.
GOOOOOAAAAAL! DE ROSARIO!!! ⚽️💚
— Leagues Cup (@LeaguesCup) September 1, 2025
Osaze with the header to give @SoundersFC the lead in #LeaguesCup2025 Final 💪
Watch it live with MLS Season Pass on Apple TV 📺 https://t.co/ca518VWtcX pic.twitter.com/kMOdiAiPYk
After scoring the goal, Seattle maintained their pressure and created more chances throughout the first half, limiting Miami to just four shots, all of which were off target. The momentum shifted in the second half, as Luis Suárez and Messi helped muster an additional six shots, which all missed the goal.
Suárez sent Messi clear on goal in the 50th minute, only for the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner to hit his shot over the crossbar. In the 59th, Suárez made a flicked pass through to Tadeo Allende, who missed the target after being rushed at by goalkeeper Andrew Thomas.
While the Herons continued their pressure, Seattle took control late with Roldan slotting home a penalty in the 84th minute, before Rothrock sealed the game with a 89th-minute strike to make it 3–0.
Paul Rothrock seals #LeaguesCup2025 title for the Sounders FC 🏆 pic.twitter.com/RnqLUf0PHz
— Leagues Cup (@LeaguesCup) September 1, 2025
For Rothrock, it was a marquee moment as head coach Brian Schmetzer made headlines ahead of the match, saying, “They’ve got Lionel Messi, but we’ve got Paul Rothrock.” Before the game, the Sounders also offered fans a free Rothrock jersey in exchange for any Messi kit.
Tensions were high as the final whistle blew, however, with both players and staff getting into physical altercations after the final whistle.
With the win, Seattle clinched a bye to the Round of 16 in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup and set the tone for the final seven games of their MLS regular season. Meanwhile, Miami will look to close out the regular season strong, as both sides look for lengthy MLS Cup Playoff runs.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Seattle Sounders Win Leagues Cup in Dominant Fashion Over Messi’s Inter Miami.
