The 2025 MLS Cup final will pit Inter Miami and the Vancouver Whitecaps face to face. This is the final game of the season and the biggest game too. With that in mind, it’s safe to say both teams would try to use their star players. However, there’s a missing name on Inter Miami’s starting lineup: Luis Suarez. Why is the Uruguayan legend not playing?
This is purely a decision by manager Javier Mascherano. Suarez is on the bench, so he can be used as a substitute, but he is not playing from the start due to a coaching decision. This is the third-straight game where Suarez doesn’t start. Before those games, he had a two-game suspension. In total, this is the fifth game in a row where Inter Miami starts a game without Suarez.
Who’s replacing Suarez? Well, Lionel Messi is going back to his ‘false 9‘ ways, being the primary striker of the team, but also helping out on the creation side, and using other players as either threats or decoys to implement his game.
How has the team fared without Suarez in the last four games?
Inter Miami has played four games without Suarez in the starting lineup. The team has honestly not missed him much in most of them. While Miami lost the first game 2-1 against Nashville, after that, it’s been an offensive avalanche.
The Herons then beat Nasvhille 4-0. Cincinnati then suffered the same fate, as Inter Miami won 4-0 followed by a 5-1 dominant victory against New York City. The fact of the matter is that the team scored 18 goals in four games without Suarez. Now, why change what isn’t broken?
Will Suarez play a factor in MLS Cup final?
It’s almost a certainty that Suarez will play in the game eventually. After all, he has been subbed in the last two games. Mascherano knows Suarez is a key piece, but now he is using him as a player that can revolutionize the game. You can follow the game here.
In the end, the Herons are facing a tough team in the Vancouver Whitecaps and Thomas Muller. Hence, it’s more than likely that Suarez enters in the second half of the game.