The 2025 MLS season has been far from dull; the league saw not one but two global superstars in Thomas Muller and Son Heung-min join the ranks, both of whom hit the ground running. The coach of a struggling recent expansion side was fired, hired by a much better team in the offseason, and went on to win the Supporters’ Shield and the Coach of the Year award. We got to see a brand-new expansion team break records unlike any other before.
Yes, this was an entertaining season. But beyond that, it was a season for the nerds.
San Diego FC, in their aforementioned quest for expansion side glory, committed themselves to incredibly effective tactical principles. Over in Saint Paul, Eric Ramsay’s Loons captured our attention with some of the most insane soccer the league has ever seen. Carnell brought Red Bull soccer to Philadelphia and cranked the dial up to 10 (I was so impressed, I wrote a whole article exploring the secret behind their defensive excellence). Then, right after I sang its praises, that same Union defense got pounded 7-0 in Vancouver.
Nothing went according to plan this season, and yet, somehow, neutrals may have been blessed with the best possible MLS Cup matchup.
This is poised to be a final just as memorable as the season that preceded it. Regardless of how you feel about the Herons, this has been an objectively incredible season from Inter Miami. The team scored a whopping 81 goals in the regular season, and the playoffs have felt all too easy so far. Vancouver, on the other hand, are making history of their own: their Western Conference finish is tied for best in club history, the Whitecaps are in the final for the first time, and their +28 goal differential is a club record.
Only one team, however, will go home with the trophy. Who will it be? The answer may be hidden in the numbers. First, though, it’s important to know how these two teams reached the final.
