“Don’t let two, three, or four tarnish the giant that you are” - When Luis Suarez shared advice for Lionel Messi after Barcelona exit
Before moving from Barcelona to Atletico Madrid in 2020, Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez gave his friend Lionel Messi a piece of advice. The former replied to a post by the Argentine icon on Instagram, urging him to 'continue enjoying himself' while playing football.
Suarez had moved to Camp Nou from Premier League side Liverpool for a reported €82 million fee in the summer of 2014. He spent six successful years with the Catalan giants, bagging 195 goals and 113 assists in 283 games and winning a boatload of trophies.
Along the way, he became friends with Messi, often linking up with him on and off the pitch. In the summer of 2020, however, Barcelona broke up the attacking partnership, selling Suarez to Atleti for a measly €9 million fee.
The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner was left enraged by the club's treatment of his friend, as he posted on Instagram to vent his frustration. Messi wrote (via Marca):
"You deserved to depart like what you are: one of the most important players in the club's history, winning things as part of a group & individually. Not for them to kick you out as they have done. But the truth is nothing surprises me any more."
Under this post, Suarez replied with a piece of advice for his good friend, writing (via Marca):
"Thank you, friend, for your words, but thank you for being the way you are, for what you were from the first day with me and my family. I will always be grateful to Messi the human - funny and sentimental - because everyone knows the player."
"Do not forget what I told you: 'Continue enjoying yourself and demonstrating that you're number one, and don't let two, three or four tarnish the giant that you are for the club and for the world of football.' I love you very much, my friend, and we are going to miss you five (Messi his wife and their three children)," the ex-Barcelona man concluded.
Suarez subsequently moved to Nacional and Gremio before re-uniting with Messi at Inter Miami. The pair have made 280 appearances alongside each other thus far, creating 112 goals between them.
Ex-Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez are currently powering Inter Miami towards MLS title
Back together at Major League Soccer (MLS) side Inter Miami, former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez are powering their new side towards the playoff title.
The Argentine legend moved to the David Beckham-owned outfit on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in 2023. The Herons also signed the 37-year-old's ex-Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba in the same window, with Suarez following suit in January 2024.
The attacking duo have taken the league by storm in their first season together. In the 2024 MLS campaign, Suarez has bagged 21 goals and nine assists in 28 games, while Messi has racked up 20 goals and 11 assists in 20 games.
Miami are leading their best-of-three first-round playoff series against Atlanta United after Suarez and Alba's goals secured a 2-1 victory in Game 1 on October 25. Game 2 of the series is set to be played at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on November 2, with a victory enough to secure the Herons' place in the next round.