Luis Suárez Receives Six-Match Ban for Spitting Incident in Leagues Cup Final
Miami, FL – September 6, 2025 – Inter Miami forward Luis Suárez has been slapped with a six-match suspension from future Leagues Cup matches following a controversial spitting incident during the 2025 Leagues Cup final against the Seattle Sounders on August 31. The 38-year-old Uruguayan striker, known for his storied career and equally notorious disciplinary record, was caught on camera spitting at a Sounders staff member and grabbing a Seattle player by the neck in a post-match melee after Inter Miami’s 3-0 defeat at Lumen Field.
The Leagues Cup Disciplinary Committee announced the sanctions on September 5, citing a violation of Article 4.2.C of the 2025 Leagues Cup Competition Regulations. Suárez’s ban, effective immediately, will prevent him from participating in the 2026 Leagues Cup and could extend into future editions, as Inter Miami played six matches in this year’s tournament. The suspension does not apply to Major League Soccer (MLS) games, though MLS officials are reportedly considering additional disciplinary action. Suárez also faces an undisclosed fine for his conduct.
The post-match chaos erupted after a heated exchange following Seattle’s dominant victory. Suárez, visibly frustrated, confronted 20-year-old Sounders midfielder Obed Vargas, placing him in a headlock, which sparked a broader altercation involving players and staff from both teams. Other sanctions were issued: Inter Miami’s Sergio Busquets received a two-match ban for reportedly punching Vargas, while teammate Tomás Avilés was suspended for three matches for violent conduct. Seattle Sounders coaching staff member Steven Lenhart also faces a five-match ban for his role in the fracas, with all four individuals fined.
Suárez issued a public apology on Instagram on September 4, stating, “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. I was wrong and I sincerely regret it… It’s not the image I want to portray, neither to my family, who are suffering because of my mistakes, nor to my club.” Inter Miami also released a statement condemning the altercations, saying they “do not reflect the values of our club.”
This incident adds to Suárez’s long history of controversies, including a deliberate handball in the 2010 World Cup quarterfinals that denied Ghana a semifinal spot, multiple suspensions for biting opponents (most notably Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini in 2014), and an eight-game ban in 2011 for racially abusing Patrice Evra. The latest episode has reignited debates about Suárez’s conduct, with some X users criticizing his actions as “disgraceful” while others defended him, citing the high emotions of a final. “Suárez has always been a passionate player, but he needs to control himself,” one user posted.
The Leagues Cup, a tournament between MLS and Liga MX clubs, will see Suárez sidelined for its next edition, potentially impacting Inter Miami’s campaign. With Suárez and Busquets’ contracts set to expire at the end of the 2025 season, questions linger about their future with the club. For now, the focus remains on the fallout from a heated final that has once again thrust Suárez’s fiery temperament into the spotlight.
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