Inter Miami nearing deal to reunite Messi with former superstar teammate
MSN: Messi, Suarez and Neymar.
Soccer fans the world over used this shorthand for years to discuss the three players, all of whom lined up for FC Barcelona between 2014 and 2017. The Argentine, Uruguayan and Brazilian were a near-unstoppable force for the "blaugrana," netting more than 350 goals in the three seasons they shared together. The sport hasn't seen a front line like it since.
That might be changing. After signing Lionel Messi this summer, MLS's Inter Miami hasn't been shy about its desire to build a team like that Barcelona squad of yore. It picked up midfielders Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, and according to reports from the Miami Herald, it looks like it's on course to sign Suarez, too.
Suarez is a controversial figure in world soccer, equally beloved and reviled by hardcore fans of the game. He was directly responsible for two of the most memorable World Cup moments of the past 20 years — moments so indelible that even casual soccer fans can recall them with perfect clarity.
The first came in 2010, during the South African edition of the tournament. Suarez's Uruguay were facing a stellar Ghana team that had just eliminated the United States. The teams were level in the 90th minute, but Ghana's Stephen Appiah sent a beautiful curling shot toward the Uruguayan goal in extra time. Certain it would go in and desperate to save his team, Suarez leapt into the air and palmed it away, earning himself a red card and immediate dismissal and granting Ghana a penalty. But Ghana wasn't able to convert the kick, and Uruguay went on to claim a controversial win.
Four years later, Suarez found himself at the center of a global controversy after appearing to bite Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini on the shoulder. (Chiellini, dramatically enough, is also playing in MLS these days, and he will contend for the MLS Cup this weekend with LAFC.)
But Suarez is more than just his on-field antics. He's a lethal attacking force and a selfless teammate, working hard to provide build-up play and assists to his partners. He's spent the past season playing with Grêmio in the Brazilian league, and while he's looking slower than he used to, he's still got that little spark of magic and mischief that made him such a compelling athlete in his youth.
Suarez's Inter Miami deal is rumored to be short-term; the proposed contract is expected to last for only one year. But if Suarez can reunite with Messi — and create some vintage magic — it may well be a year well spent for the Uruguayan.
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