ImagnThe legendary Uruguayan certainly has one more year left, but he would have to make sacrifices to stay in South Beach
The defining image of Inter Miami's 2024 Playoffs won't be Lionel Messi lifting the MLS Cup. It won't be a smile from Tata Martino, or hugs between jubilant players, celebrating in South Beach.
Instead, it is the shot of an angry Luis Suarez, pushing Atlanta United goalkeeper Brad Guzan into the back of the net after Messi's goal in the Herons' game 3 loss, the biggest upset in MLS history. It was, at the time, a somewhat funny scene – albeit one that came with some predictable social media vitriol.
But it was emblematic of the way Suarez's influence for this side waned over the course of the 2024 season.
The Uruguayan was prolific during the regular season, scoring 20 goals and linking up with Messi in so many predictably wonderful ways. Those instinctive connections that had carved La Liga and the Champions League apart were still alive. Sure, the legs were older. Yet the brain worked just as fast, the synapses still snapping away. At times, it was spellbinding.
However, when it all got real, when the games started to matter, Suarez's flaws were exposed. He may still be an excellent goalscorer, instinctive in the box and clever in his movement. But MLS playoffs, in two short weeks, laid bare the issues that were always feared: Suarez is aging, and in this athletic league, his weaknesses can be exploited.
