Uruguay’s Luis Suarez waves from the bench throughout a qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in opposition to Argentina at La Bombonera stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Nov. 16, 2023. The 37-year-old Suárez scored 17 targets for Brazilian league runner-up Gremio, Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023.
AP Photograph/Matias Delacroix, file
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The long-awaited reunion of Luis Suárez and Lionel Messi is now a actuality, after the Uruguayan striker signed with Inter Miami on Friday for the 2024 season.
Suárez and Messi spent six seasons collectively at Barcelona, successful 4 Spanish league titles and 9 different trophies — together with a Champions League title — in that span. Suárez is coming off a season the place he was greatest participant and greatest striker within the Brazilian league with Gremio.
“I’m very glad and excited to tackle this new problem with Inter Miami,” Suárez mentioned. “I can’t wait to get began, and I’m able to work to make the dream of successful extra titles with this nice membership a actuality. I’m optimistic about what we are able to obtain along with our shared ambition.”
There had been hypothesis for months that Suárez would be a part of Inter Miami, particularly given his relationship with Messi. Inter Miami received its first trophy — the Leagues Cup — final season shortly after Messi arrived, his signing a part of an overhaul that introduced elite expertise like Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba to the membership, together with coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino. Busquets and Alba additionally performed for Barcelona alongside Messi, and Martino is a former Barcelona coach.
Now, Suárez joins that blend. He turns 37 in January — Messi is 36, Busquets is 35 and Alba turns 35 in March, so Inter Miami will certainly have some workloads to handle. And Suárez has struggled with intense knee ache, however clearly the lure of enjoying with Messi once more was too robust to disregard.
“Luis is a fierce competitor whose successful drive embodies what we wish out of our gamers,” Inter Miami managing proprietor Jorge Mas mentioned. “We promised our followers we might pursue the world’s greatest gamers to construct a squad that may compete on the highest echelons within the Americas. Coming off an award-winning season in Brazil, Luis will probably be a key addition to our roster.”
Suárez brings a colourful and profitable historical past to Inter Miami.
With Suárez, Uruguay ended 20 years of World Cup underachievement by reaching the semifinals in 2010. He helped ship Uruguay’s first Copa America title in 16 years in 2011. He was instrumental in Atletico Madrid’s first Spanish title in seven years in 2021.
He additionally is understood for an notorious intentional handball within the 2010 World Cup quarterfinals to take a semifinal spot from Ghana and served bans on three events for biting opponents — the newest of these in 2014, after he chomped down on the shoulder of Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini following a tussle within the penalty space throughout a World Cup match.
“I’ll give my all to deliver pleasure to those nice followers I’ve heard a lot about whereas I put on Inter Miami colours, and sit up for reuniting with nice mates and gamers,” Suárez mentioned. “I’m additionally keen to satisfy my new teammates and coaches.”
