Inter Miami is in the process of signing Luis Suárez to a new one-year contract through the 2026 season. The Uruguayan turns 39 in January, but he's not hanging up his boots just yet. After their MLS Cup triumph earlier this month, Miami seems to be betting on continuity - also with one of the club's biggest names.
Suárez was admittedly an unused substitute in the final, and that says a lot about where Inter Miami is headed. This is no longer a team that has to start Luis Suárez to win games – but a team that can still benefit immensely from him.
The numbers don't lie – but the context is important
17 goals and 17 assists in 50 games in all competitions are strong numbers, even in MLS. At the same time, Suárez gradually lost his place in the starting eleven beyond the playoffs, and was also suspended for both the playoffs and the Leagues Cup earlier in the season.
It's worth noting that he will be suspended for the entire 2026 League Cup , following a six-match ban for a spat at a security guard in Seattle. That alone suggests that this is primarily a role as veteran, joker and leader – not a new season as the undisputed first choice.
Messi continues – and that means everything
Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets have retired, but Lionel Messi continues, and that is perhaps the most important factor here. The relationship between Messi and Suárez is well-known, both on and off the pitch. For Inter Miami, it is not just about goals – it is about security, routine and dressing room culture.
Suárez as a substitute, mentor and match-decider at the right moments could prove to be worth his weight in gold in a long MLS season, especially with the CONCACAF Champions Cup and league games on the menu.
Smart – as long as the expectations are correct
This is not a signing that will carry Inter Miami into 2026. It is a signing that will complement an already strong team. Used correctly, Luis Suárez can still be the difference in individual games – used incorrectly, it can quickly become a sentimental decision.
Inter Miami has shown in 2025 that they are more than an “old friends” project. Keeping Suárez as a reserve and leader fits well into that picture.
Legends don't always give up when they should – but sometimes they give up just when the role is right.
