Seattle Sounders won the Leagues Cup Final at Lumen Field stadium, Washington, on Sunday, August 31, defeating Inter Miami 3-0, which did not end peacefully. As tensions rose towards the end of the match, a scuffle broke out between the two teams.
What Happened in the Final?
A scuffle broke out with Miami as the final whistle blew during the Seattle Sounders’ 3-0 home win in the final on Sunday night, with tensions escalating and the apparent provocateur, Messi’s teammate striker Luis Suárez, seen spitting at a Sounders staffer.
After the referee blew the whistle, forward Suárez, who has a history of losing his temper, rushed Seattle midfielder Obed Vargas into a headlock. The field heated up, with players from both clubs shouting, pushing, and shoving, and others, including staff members, trying to break up the situation and remove the players.
Miami’s Sergio Busquets was not far behind, punching Vargas in the chin, leading to a heated exchange with Sounders’ Cody Baker, according to a USA Today report.
When Miami center-back Maxi Falcon tried to remove Baker from Bousquets, he ended up putting Baker in a headlock, according to the report. Meanwhile, 38-year-old Suárez was caught on camera spitting at a Sounders staffer in a video that went viral on social media.
Also Read: Messi’s Contribution Helps Inter Miami Reach Second Leagues Cup Final
When asked about his players’ behavior after the match, Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said it may have been provocative.
“I have nothing to say because I was far away and didn’t see what happened. Nobody likes for there to be these types of actions. Maybe there was provocation, but I don’t know what happened,” Mascherano said.
After the brawl, Seattle coach Brian Schmetzer felt that the incident would take some of the attention away from the Sounders’ stellar performance.
Schmetzer said that Miami’s players were frustrated and that this led to some incidents on the field that should not have happened on the field.
Seattle Sounders’ first Leagues Cup
The Seattle Sounders defeated Inter Miami in the final to win their first 2025 Leagues Cup title on Sunday night. Osaze De Rosario and Paul Rothrock played important roles, each scoring for the team. Alex Roldán also caught the eye, having one goal and two assists.
This article includes reporting from Field Level Media.