By TIM REYNOLDS

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi’s legacy was long secured when he came to Inter Miami and joined Major League Soccer. He’d won a World Cup, won dozens of trophies, was generally considered the greatest player in the sport’s history.

He didn’t need an MLS Cup.

But he wanted one — and got it.

Messi and Inter Miami have completed their ascent, beating the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 on Saturday in the MLS Cup final for the franchise’s first championship. It came 2 1/2 years after the legend arrived in South Florida, a move that stunned plenty of onlookers at the time.

He led the team to a Leagues Cup trophy in 2023, the MLS Supporters’ Shield last year before a first-round playoff loss — and now, they grabbed MLS’ biggest prize.

“Last year we went out early in the

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