Inter Miami striker Luis Suarez has his sights set on winning trophies in all four competitions the Herons are taking part in this season.

At a press conference following the first training session of the 2024 campaign, Suarez made it clear that he hopes to win more titles.

‘Why wouldn’t we dream of winning all four titles this year?,’ Suarez told reporters about his expectations.

In addition to MLS, Inter Miami will hope to retain their Leagues Cup title, to win the US Open Cup that slipped through their grasp, and capture continental glory in the club’s first ever appearance in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

Suarez took part in something of a reunion with his former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba.

He just took part in his first training with all his former Barcelona teammates for 2024.

 

Whether or not the Herons will be able to challenge for those titles will all depend on how healthy the team can be throughout the season.

For Suarez, that could be a particular issue. Last season, he suffered some issues with his knees while playing with Brazilian club Gremio.

Inter Miami faces the possibility of playing every single month this calendar year if they eventually reach the MLS Cup Finals.

That’s thanks in part to a lengthy preseason tour that will see Inter Miami play in Central America, Asia, and again in the United States.

‘Throughout the season we’ll have to take precautions with the player, but he trained well… and after his year with Gremio we expect a very good version of Suarez,’ Miami manager Tata Martino said about Suarez following training.

If they accomplish this feat, they’ll be the first American team – men or women – to win a quadruple.

Suárez and Messi spent six seasons together at Barcelona, winning four Spanish league titles and nine other trophies – including a Champions League title – in that span. Suárez is coming off a year where he was best player and best striker in the Brazilian league with Gremio, but has ailing knees, is turning 37 in a couple weeks and is entering his 19th professional season.

Inter Miami forward Luis Suarez, left, walks with forward Lionel Messi, center, and defender Sergio Busquets, second right, during an MLS soccer training session.

Coming to MLS, though, doesn’t sound like his soft landing into retirement. He made it very clear on Saturday: He’s with Inter Miami to win. The team will try to defend its Leagues Cup trophy this season, plus has an MLS title to chase, along with the CONCACAF Champions Cup and the U.S. Open Cup.

“The best advice to give to the players is to dream and dream big,” Suárez said. “To dream that we want to win … why not dream to win the four titles? It depends on us. We can speak about it, but we have to demonstrate it on the pitch with work, commitment, sacrifice.”

As if playing with Messi again wouldn’t be enough of a reason to come to MLS, Suárez said another selling point came from a series of talks with David Beckham, the soccer legend and part of Inter Miami’s ownership group.

“This is so important for me,” Suárez said. “He talked to me about the good things about Inter Miami, about MLS. It was so nice for me when he told me that.”

Suárez’s career has been filled with tons of success and a few highly questionable moments.

With Suárez, Uruguay ended 20 years of World Cup underachievement by reaching the semifinals in 2010. He helped deliver Uruguay´s first Copa America title in 16 years in 2011. He was instrumental in Atletico Madrid´s first Spanish title in seven years in 2021.

He also is known for an infamous intentional handball in the 2010 World Cup quarterfinals to take a semifinal spot from Ghana and served bans on three occasions for biting opponents – the most recent of those in 2014, after he chomped down on the shoulder of Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini following a tussle in the penalty area during a World Cup match.

But for years, Messi, Busquets and Alba have raved about him. It’s no secret that Suárez’s knees probably won’t allow him to play in every match on Inter Miami’s jammed 2024 schedule, and that seems to be more than fine with coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino.

“Luis worked very hard and completed his training very well,” Martino said after the first formal practice. “Surely during the length of the season, if we need to take precautions with his knee (we will), but today he has worked very well and he looks in good form and we´re happy with that.”

Inter Miami forward Luis Suarez takes questions during a press conference after participating in a training session with the MLS soccer team, Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Inter Miami forward Luis Suarez, left, walks with forward Lionel Messi, center, and defender Sergio Busquets, right, during a training session for the MLS soccer team, Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Inter Miami forward Luis Suarez gives a thumbs up as he participates in a training session for the MLS soccer team, Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.