Luis Suarez made his debut with Lionel Messi during Friday’s friendly between Inter Miami and El Salvador at Estadio Cuscatlan. The Uruguayan, though, was lackluster.
Alongside old teammates Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba, Suarez made his Barcelona debut following a smooth winter transfer from Gremio to Miami. In a rare preseason friendly, the Major League Soccer (MLS) squad faced the nation placed 70th in the official FIFA standings.
Watching their national team play four football superstars who are projected to help Miami win the MLS title the next season brought a large number of San Salvadorans to the stadium.
Inter Miami only managed two shots on goal despite having their top players on the field. Manager Gerardo Martino changed all four players before the half, but the result was a scoreless draw.
The Miami Dolphins, under the leadership of David Beckham, are supporting the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner as the Barcelona reunion gets underway. Messi committed to Miami after his deal with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), the top French team, ended in June 2023.
Later, after their Barcelona contracts ended, Alba and Busquets joined the master of football.
Messi helped Inter Miami win the League Cup last year. He made his Liga MX and MLS debuts in the opening group match. Messi’s ten goals in seven games won the team its first title.
MLS issues plagued Miami before Messi came, and they persisted once play resumed. Phil Neville was sacked before Messi joined.
Busquets and Alba added depth and coherence, while Messi boosted Miami’s play immediately. When Josef Martinez left after the 2023 MLS season, Suarez was signed as a striker.
Famous players and World Cup champions will make Miami one of the strongest MLS teams in 2024. Despite high anticipation for the season opener, Messi seemed uncomfortable between Alba and Suarez, who appeared disappointed.
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