Why won't Lionel Messi & Thomas Müller's recent trophies count toward their records?
Both Messi and Muller led their MLS sides to trophies recently.
On Saturday night’s MLS Cup playoffs, Lionel Messi and Thomas Müller won trophies. However, their recent trophies won’t be added to their stats collection.
Messi and his Inter Miami colleagues won the Eastern Conference Championship in the MLS Cup playoffs in Miami, in a 4-1 victory over New York City FC. Following that, Müller and the Vancouver Whitecaps defeated San Diego FC 3-1 to secure the Western Conference title.
Both teams will participate in their debut MLS Cup match next Saturday when Inter Miami host the Whitecaps at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
Conference titles are not counted in the actual trophy haul of a player
However, the Eastern and Western crowns are not regarded as significant trophies and will not be included in Lionel Messi and Thomas Müller’s impressive collections of trophies. Although it just awards the league’s semifinal winner, winning is a noteworthy honour meant for celebration.
The premier soccer statistics and record database, Transfermarkt, affirmed that it does not view the Conference trophy as an official trophy. Additionally, winning that title does not guarantee a spot in the Concacaf Champions Cup.
The MLS Cup, given to the champion of the MLS Cup playoffs, and the Supporters’ Shield, which Miami won in 2024 as the best regular-season club. In addition to these two significant MLS prizes, teams are able to win the CONCACAF Champions Cup, Leagues Cup, U.S. Open Cup.
Additionally, in the case of Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal FC, the Canadian Championship and Voyageurs Cup are seen as major trophies.
Lionel Messi and Thomas Müller may have a fresh trophy photo for the time being, but their records are still 47 and 35 trophies, respectively. They are going to compete for an official trophy in a winner-take-all MLS Cup match next week, with the winner taking home the Phillip F. Anschutz Trophy.
Why will Eastern and Western Conference trophies not count?
The premier soccer statistics and record database, Transfermarkt, affirmed that it does not view the Conference trophy as an official trophy.
How many trophies has Messi won with Inter Miami?
He has won the Supporters’ Shield and the League Cup.
How many trophies has Muller won with Vancouver Whitecaps?
He has won the Canadian Championship.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.