This past Sunday, Inter Miami suffered a 3–0 defeat to Seattle Sounders in the Leagues Cup final. After the final whistle, serious altercations broke out between players and staff members from both teams. Now, the Herons have spoken out about the incident—along with Luis Suarez.
“Inter Miami condemns the altercations that took place following the conclusion of the Leagues Cup Final. 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,” the club said in a statement shared on social media Thursday.
As for next steps—which could include serious sanctions for players on both sides—Inter Miami added: “We are working closely with Leagues Cup and MLS officials to ensure the situation is addressed appropriately. We thank our fans and community for their continued support.”
Among the players facing potential consequences for their behavior during the conflict in Seattle, Luis Suarez is obviously at the center. But the Uruguayan forward isn’t the only one: Maximiliano Falcon, Tomas Aviles, and Baltasar Rodriguez were also involved in tense incidents during the altercation.
Luis Suarez’s message
In addition to Inter Miami’s statement, Luis Suarez also addressed the regrettable incident in which he was directly involved. The Uruguayan forward was caught on camera spitting in the face of a Seattle Sounders staff member, and he has now spoken publicly about the incident for the first time.
“First of all, I want to congratulate Seattle Sounders for the victory in the Leagues Cup. But, above all, I want to apologize for my behavior at the end of the game,” Suarez began in a message shared via an Instagram story on Thursday. “It was a moment of great tension and frustration, where as soon as the game ended, things happened that shouldn’t have happened. But that doesn’t justify the reaction I had. I was wrong and I sincerely regret it.”
Addressing the broader consequences of his actions, Suarez continued: “It is not the image I want to give neither in front of my family, who suffers from my mistakes, nor in front of my club, which also does not deserve to be affected by something like that. I feel bad about what happened, and I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to recognize it, and apologize to all those who felt bad for what I did.”
Suarez concluded his message on a hopeful note as Inter Miami look ahead to the final stretch of the 2025 MLS season: “We know that there is still a long season ahead, and we will work together to achieve the successes that this club and all its fans deserve… A big hug to everyone.”
What’s next for Inter Miami?
Following their defeat in the Leagues Cup final, many Inter Miami players traveled to join their national teams for the September international break. Among them, of course, are Lionel Mess and Rodrigo De Paul.
Once FIFA duties wrap up next week, the Herons will return to training with a full squad ahead of a grueling stretch featuring 7 MLS matches in just 21 days. The first of those games will be on Saturday, September 13, when Inter Miami face Charlotte FC on the road. Then, on Tuesday, September 16, they’ll host none other than Seattle Sounders at Chase Stadium.
* Developing story
