USMNT stars who need a summer transfer - ranked

21 best Champions League players of the season - ranked

Hit or Miss: Every USMNT transfer from the 2023-24 season

Bellingham & the best debut seasons at Real Madrid - ranked

Chelsea taking a massive gamble on Pep disciple Maresca

Reynolds & McElhenney 'don't understand' their impact on Wrexham

Man Utd snap up teenage wonderkid with record-breaking father

Lampard linked with sensational return to English football

CR7 loses record! Piece of goalscoring history snatched away

Al-Hilal vs Al-Nassr: Stream, TV channels & where to watch

Successor to Tozer? Rob & Ryan prepared to fund raid on Wigan

United to deal Arteta a blow by snapping up crucial Arsenal asset

Slot identifies top target to replace Nunez at Liverpool

<p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><ul><li>Ex-Barcelona stars shining for Herons</li><li>Are a big miss when picking up knocks</li><li>Martino having to manage workload</li></ul><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script>

‘Luis Suarez without Lionel Messi is less of a player!’ - Inter Miami warning sounded as MLS Cup hopefuls prepare to lose Argentine icon to Copa America

Major League Soccer

Inter Miami CF

St. Louis City

<p>The Herons have been able to <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/explained-crazy-lionel-messi-luis-suarez-understanding-tipped-big-things-inter-miami-mls/bltbb4a4fd53334cbff" target="_blank">get their most talismanic performers into Tata Martino’s starting XI</a> on a regular basis this season, allowing a standing to be taken up at the top of the Eastern Conference. They have, however, also seen their ranks depleted by untimely injuries.</p><div class="affiliate-button-container theme-1" data-name="Apple TV"><div class="affiliate-button"><img class="logo" height="40" width="72" src="https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/bltcc7a7ffd2fbf71f5/blt2de198b67da95a2e/65709d2436cf7d0407034ef9/Apple_TV.png" style="width: 72px; height: 40px;"><span class="affiliate-text">Get the MLS Season Pass today!</span></div><a href="https://tv.apple.com/channel/tvs.sbd.7000?itsct=goal_mls&amp;itscg=30200&amp;at=1010l39UY" class="affiliate-button-link" target="_blank">Stream games now</a></div>

WHAT HAPPENED?

<p>Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi picked up a hamstring problem early in the campaign, while the <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/lionel-messi-injury-update-when-inter-miami-star-play-again-derby-orlando-city-knee-problem/blt2cf7001809b2372b" target="_blank">all-time great is now nursing a knee complaint</a>. He was forced to sit out a 0-0 draw with Florida rivals Orlando City as a result – a team that Inter Miami thumped 5-0 when everybody was available back in March.</p>

THE BIGGER PICTURE

<p>Sacha Kljestan has told <a href="https://tv.apple.com/gb/sporting-event/mls-wrap-up/umc.cse.rh6xerezv4vgatigsww2ecf5 " target="_blank"><em>MLS Wrap-Up</em></a> of the problems that Inter Miami encounter when unable to select from their full pool of attacking talent: “There’s a lot of injuries, and we saw the team just without Messi is a slightly different team. I think Suarez is still a fantastic player, but Suarez without Messi is also less of a player.” </p>

WHAT KLJESTAN SAID

<p>Suarez is the <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/mls-top-scorers-2024/blt5c51f607e7939ebf" target="_blank">joint-leading goal scorer in MLS this season</a>, with 11 efforts to his name, while Messi is into double figures and <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/does-luis-suarez-want-beat-lionel-messi-mls-golden-boot-friendly-rivalry-10-goal-inter-miami-superstars-serious/blte1889630b2af8688" target="_blank">very much in the Golden Boot race</a>. Martino is hoping to be back at full strength when the Herons play host to D.C. United on Saturday, but knows that Messi will be heading off on Copa America duty with his country in June.</p>

WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

‘Luis Suarez without Lionel Messi is less of a player!’ - Inter Miami warning sounded as MLS Cup hopefuls prepare to lose Argentine icon to Copa America | Goal.com US

Inter Miami are a “different team” without Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez is “less of a player” when the Argentine icon is missing, claims MLS legend.