Tim Howard Warns Lionel Messi of ‘Little Rat’ in Vancouver Whitecaps Line-up Who Will Challenge Him in MLS Cup Final

United States men’s national team great Tim Howard says Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Sebastian Berhalter could prove to be a hassle for Lionel Messi in the Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup final.

Messi’s side is set to lock horns with the Whitecaps in the highly anticipated MLS Cup final at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Saturday, Dec. 6. They defeated New York City FC 5-1 to win the Eastern Conference final last weekend, while the Whitecaps became Western Conference champions after beating San Diego 3-1.

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Howard, who helped his national side lift two CONCACAF Gold Cup trophies as a player, shifted the focus away from Messi and Thomas Müller ahead of the championship match. He claimed Berhalter could prove to be a key performer in Florida while recently speaking on his podcast ‘Unfiltered Soccer’.

“I think he’s the type of son of the gun to say, ‘Alright then. I’ll have a bit of you, Leo.’ I know it sounds crazy. And I’m not saying Sebastian Berhalter is a better [player]. But if you know his dad, Gregg is crazy. By the way, he’s a very good player and uses the ball well. But like, he’s got some tenacity,” the former Manchester United and Everton star said (via Athlon Sports).

The 2004 FA Cup winner and 2006 EFL Cup champion concluded, “If you’ve got a bag of money, put it on the fact that I think he’ll get to grips with Lionel Messi. I don’t know why. He’s a little rat, and he wants to get under people’s skin. Sebastian does that. Shout out to Sebastian. I’m excited for it.”

Berhalter, 24, has started all four of the Whitecaps’ MLS Cup playoff matches at the heart of the midfield. During the regular season, he contributed four goals and 10 assists in 29 MLS outings for his current team.

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During a media appearance, Whitecaps summer signing Thomas Müller asserted that the focus should be on the collective rather than him and Messi during the MLS Cup final.

“I know for you guys in the media and also MLS, it makes sense to make a point with Messi and myself and the bigger names, but it is about two teams with a very attractive and good-looking playing style. It’s always nice to meet old friends. We are not really close, but I always watched them. They were great players… some of them still are,” the Bayern Munich legend commented (via BBC).

Müller, 36, is hoping to guide the Whitecaps to their first-ever MLS Cup crown after helping them win both the Canadian Championship and Western Conference titles.