Inter Miami forward Luis Suarez has finally spoken out over the incident that occurred during his team loss to Seattle Sounders in the Leagues Cup final on Sunday.
The Sounders stunned the star-studded Inter side led by eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi 3-0 in the Leagues Cup final at Lumen Field in Seattle.
However, things took a new twist immediately after the final whistle. Suarez rushed at 20-year-old Sounders midfielder Obed Vargas and put him in a headlock, sparking an altercation involving multiple players and staff from both sides.
The former Barcelona star was caught on cameras appearing to spit at a Seattle security staff member as he walked away from Vargas.
Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF argues with Pedro de la Vega #10 of the Seattle Sounders FC during the Leagues Cup Final. (Photo by Steph Chambers – Leagues Cup/MLS via Getty Images)
Suarez has now taken to social media to apologize over the incident.
“It was a moment of great tension and frustration, where right after the match things happened that shouldn’t have happened, but that doesn’t justify the reaction I had,” the 38-year-old Uruguayan wrote in an Instagram story. “I was wrong and I sincerely regret it.”
“I feel bad about what happened, and I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to acknowledge it and apologize to everyone who felt hurt by what I did,” Suarez added.
While fans await the punishment he’ll face for his conduct in the cross-border tournament co-sanctioned by Major League Soccer and Mexico’s Liga-MX, Suarez spoke optimistically of continuing to help Inter’s push to make the MLS Cup playoffs.
“We know there’s still a lot of the season ahead, and we’re going to work together to achieve the successes that this club and all of its fans deserve,” he wrote.
Inter Miami posted a statement on X Thursday condemning the incident.
“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.
“We are working closely with Leagues Cup and MLS officials to ensure the situation is addressed appropriately.”
