The Mexican Who Took Revenge Against Messi
Obed Vargas, midfielder for the Seattle Sounders, played a key role in the 2025 Leagues Cup final by defeating Inter Miami and dedicating the victory “to all of Mexico” after facing Lionel Messi.
Seattle Stuns Messi’s Inter Miami
August 31 will forever be remembered by the Seattle Sounders and their fans. The team coached by Brian Schmetzer was crowned Leagues Cup 2025 champion after a resounding 3-0 win over Inter Miami, a side stacked with global stars such as Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets, and Rodrigo De Paul.
At the heart of that historic victory was Obed Vargas. The Mexican midfielder played all 90 minutes of the final, delivering a strong performance in midfield. After the match, he celebrated with the Mexican flag tied around his waist, a gesture that resonated deeply with fans back home.
“Messi is a great player, I respect him a lot, but on the pitch he was my rival and I had to do everything possible to beat him. This is for all of Mexico, we owed it to them,” Vargas told TUDN in a post-match interview, underlining the emotional weight of the occasion.
Mexican Pride in the Leagues Cup
Obed Vargas’ display went beyond football. His words were seen as a message of national pride, as not every day does a Mexican player get the chance to face and defeat Messi, widely considered the best in the world. For Vargas, lifting the trophy with Seattle marked a huge step in his career and a reminder of the quality emerging from Mexican football.
The match also carried controversy in the closing minutes, when Luis Suárez and Sergio Busquets clashed with Seattle players and staff. Staying composed, Vargas said: “Nobody likes to lose. They’ve played many finals and know how to handle them, but we kept calm and had the wisdom to manage it.”
A Title for the History Books
With this triumph, the Seattle Sounders established themselves as one of the MLS’s top contenders, capable of beating the league’s most high-profile team. And for Mexico, Obed Vargas’ role in overcoming Lionel Messi’s side became a source of pride, as he delivered a victory that carried symbolic weight beyond the trophy.
The Leagues Cup final not only crowned Seattle as champion, it also left behind the image of a Mexican footballer who, through grit and passion, dedicated an international triumph to his entire country.
