While the Copa America continues its course in the United States, with the participation of its national team despite the early elimination, elite soccer in the country does not stop. For Inter Miami, the continuity of the MLS has not been the best alternative, as they lost two of their main figures, Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, who are playing the tournament with their respective national teams of Argentina and Uruguay. This absence has also cost them the lead in the Eastern Conference, which is now held by Cincinnati with a one-point advantage.
In the midst of other news surrounding the club, an unusual operation was confirmed on Tuesday: the sale of the first player trained at the Inter Miami Academy. This is Edison Azcona, a 20-year-old Dominican soccer player, who was on loan at Las Vegas Lights, a team in the USL (Second Division of American soccer), and whose purchase option has been exercised by the club.
“Edison played an important role in our history through a number of milestones: he was a member of the Academy’s inaugural generation, he played in the first game in the history of an Inter Miami Academy team, he was one of our first local signings and he was our first homegrown player to play in a First Team match. We are very proud of everything he achieved with us and wish him all the best in this next phase of his career,” said Chris Henderson, the club’s sporting director.
Edison Azcona: A valuable homegrown player
Azcona made his MLS debut at just 17 years old in 2021, in a match against Nashville, becoming the first Academy player to do so. He also made history with his country’s national team, being one of the figures of the team that qualified for the U-20 World Cup that was played last year in Argentina and where he scored the first goal of a Puerto Rican team in a World Cup, without distinction of category.
“The Club would like to thank Azcona for his contributions on and off the field during his time at Inter Miami and wishes him the best in the future,” reads the statement with which Inter Miami said goodbye to him on Tuesday.
Inter Miami will also have Olympic representation
Once Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez return to the team, Inter Miami will see two other players leave from Gerardo Martino’s squad: Benjamín Cremaschi and Diego Gómez, called up to represent the United States and Paraguay respectively in the Olympic Games.
Messi’s earrings
As has happened throughout the Copa América, Inter Miami will be eager for Lionel Messi to win a final and expectant that there may be, if Uruguay also gets its ticket this Wednesday, a match for the title with double representation of the club that includes Luis Suárez.
