Inter Miami forward Luis Suarez apologized Thursday for his behavior following his team’s defeat by the Seattle Sounders in the Leagues Cup final earlier this week, antics that became the latest entry on a long list of on-field transgressions over his lengthy career.
Suárez — a longtime teammate of Inter Miami star Lionel Messi — appeared to spit toward a member of the Sounders’ staff, plus grabbed at least one Seattle player by the neck during a postgame melee. Major League Soccer and Leagues Cup officials are investigating, and Suárez could face sanctions.
“First of all, I want to congratulate the Seattle Sounders on their Leagues Cup victory. But above all, I want to apologize for my behavior at the end of the match,” Suárez wrote on Instagram in his native Spanish. “It was a very tense and frustrating moment. Things happened right after the match that shouldn’t have happened, but that doesn’t justify my reaction. I was wrong and I sincerely regret it.
“It’s not the image I want to portray, neither to my family, who are suffering because of my mistakes, nor to my club, which doesn’t deserve to be affected by something like this. I feel bad about what happened and didn’t want to miss the opportunity to acknowledge it and apologize to everyone who felt bad about what I did.”
Inter Miami issued a statement Thursday as well, without naming any players. The club said it is working with both MLS and Leagues Cup officials “to ensure the situation is addressed appropriately” and thanked fans for their continued support.
“Inter Miami condemns the altercations that took place following the conclusion of the Leagues Cup Final,” the club wrote. “These actions do not reflect the values of our sport, and we remain committed to upholding the highest standards of sportsmanship both on and off the pitch.”
Suárez’s history is both highly colorful and highly successful.
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.
Suárez has been involved in 16 Inter Miami goals — scoring six and assisting on 10 others — during MLS play this season, second-most on the team behind only Messi. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has 19 goals and 10 assists in MLS matches this year.
“We know there’s still a long season ahead, and we’re going to work together to achieve the success this club and all its fans deserve,” Suárez wrote to conclude his statement Thursday. “A hug to everyone.”
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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