Miami’s Suárez in Uruguay’s Copa América squad

Inter Miami striker Luis Suárez will join the Uruguay national team for the 2024 Copa América, headlining manager Marcelo Bielsa’s 26-man roster alongside Liverpool striker Darwin Núñez and Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde.

Despite concerns that Suárez would miss the tournament in the United States due to ongoing knee issues, his recent form with Miami earned him a slot in the final roster announced Saturday.

The 37-year-old has managed 12 goals and five assists in 16 games for Inter Miami across all competitions, propelling the MLS team to first place on the Eastern Conference table.

The former Barcelona and Liverpool star has played an integral role in Uruguay’s success, helping his country win the Copa America in 2011 and standing as the team’s all-time leading scorer with 68 goals in 138 international caps. He’ll now look to extend that record this summer when facing Panama, hosts the United States and Bolívia in the group stage of the Copa América.

Paris Saint-Germain player Manuel Ugarte and Tottenham Hotspur‘s Rodrigo Bentancur also form part of the roster, while noted veterans Edinson Cavani and Matías Vecino are absent after recently retiring from International duty.

Suárez’s departure to join his national team will hit Inter Miami hard, as the South Florida team looks set to lose four key players for the upcoming competitions. Suarez, Lionel Messi, Matías Rojas and David Ruiz will all miss the upcoming match against the Philadelphia Union on June 15, and may be absent through the Copa América final on July 14.

Though Rojas and Ruiz have not been officially named to Paraguay’s Copa América roster, they will join the national team for the pre-tournament friendlies and remain as frontrunners for a place on the final squad.

Inter Miami will play the following MLS matches without several figures: Philadelphia Union (June 15), Columbus Crew (June 19), Nashville SC (June 29), Charlotte FC (July 3), and FC Cincinnati (July 6).

Copa América kicks off on June 20 when Argentina faces Canada in the inaugural match.