This is an important match marking Messi’s return to the field in 2024 and is also an opportunity for Luis Suarez to make his debut after signing a contract nearly a month ago (December 22, 2023).

Suarez also met two other former teammates at Barca, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, all reunited on Inter Miami’s tour to prepare for the new MLS season, including 7 matches.

• 08:00 January 20: El Salvador vs Inter Miami

The last time Messi and Suarez played football together was a match they probably wanted to erase from their minds, because it was one of the heaviest defeats in Barcelona’s football history. That unforgettable match took place on August 14, 2020 in the quarterfinals of the Champions League in Lisbon (reorganized after the Covid epidemic) and Barca lost miserably to Bayern 2-8, in which the Uruguayan striker scored 1 goal in the 57th minute. 

That defeat also marked the farewell of one of the deepest friendships in the football world. Suarez moved to Atletico Madrid, while Messi stayed at Barca for another season before returning to PSG and then to Inter Miami now.

The last time the two “met” was in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Buenos Aires, Uruguay won 2-0 against Argentina, but Suarez only sat on the bench.

Suarez (2nd from right) reunites with three former Barca teammates: Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Messi

Messi and Suarez were teammates at Barca in the 2014-2020 period. In these 6 seasons, the South American duo brought a total of 406 goals for Barca, of which Messi contributed 236 goals and Suarez 170 goals, in addition to 215 assists (La Pulga had 110 assists, and El Pistolero 105 tectonics).

Statistics show that this duo appeared in 258 matches together, including 187 wins, 42 draws and 29 defeats. Together they won 13 major and minor titles. 

Now at Inter Miami, they continue to be expected to add countless more goals and assists to their already terrible record.