Ghana suffered a semi-final qualification spot at the FIFA world cup tournament hosted in South Africa when Luiz Suarez saved a crucial goal which would have seen the West African team make history. The Uruguayan strikers name become commonly known in Ghana after Asamoah Gyan missed the penalty that was awarded right after.

The legendary Uruguayan striker assesses the challenges in store for Inter Miami, who face Al Ahly in the curtain-raiser on 14 June.

• Suarez rates the Florida outfit’s chances in the global bonanza
• The striking sensation revealed his favourite stateside stadiums
• He spoke about Lionel Messi’s impact on football in the USA

After having worked his way up the ranks and dreamed of one day strutting his stuff for the first team, Luis Suarez was handed his top-flight debut for Uruguay’s Club Nacional de Football in 2005, at the tender age of 18. At that stage, nobody could have imagined what the feisty, fresh-faced frontman, who boasted breathtaking physique and an unerring eye for goal, would go on to achieve in the game.

Twenty years later, Suarez is now in the twilight of his playing days, his legendary status in the global game already confirmed. But there is still a great drive and hunger inside the Salto-born goal-getter and an opportunity for another coveted international crown presents itself at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ this June and July in the USA.

While his beloved Nacional barely missed out on qualifying for the competition – “I’d have loved for them to have been involved,” he said – the legendary Uruguayan striker will get a crack at it with Inter Miami CF.

The 38-year-old front runner has been reunited with former partner in crime Lionel Messi at the Floridian franchise, who have serious ambitions of triumphing in a 32-team extravaganza that will see them lock horns with Egypt’s Al Ahly FC, Portuguese giants FC Porto and SE Palmeiras of Brazil in Group A.

Suarez and Co clinched their spot in the competition by capturing the 2024 Major League Soccer (MLS) Supporters’ Shield, which is bestowed on the team that top the overall regular-season standings. The Herons hit the heights in a record-breaking campaign, in which they amassed a jaw-dropping 74 points – the highest tally in the division’s history – courtesy of 22 wins, eight draws and just four defeats.

During the winter, Argentinian coach Gerardo Martino stepped down for personal reasons, and the club moved quickly to appoint his compatriot, Javier Mascherano. El Jefecito, who shared a dressing room with some of the team’s leading lights (Messi, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Suarez himself) during his spell at FC Barcelona, has been handed the mighty task of delivering success in his maiden managerial gig in the club game.

With a massive 2025 already in motion, Suarez spoke to FIFA about Inter Miami’s Club World Cup ambitions, the growth of the game in the USA and Messi’s impact on the sport in the country.

Source: FIFA Media