Former Barcelona and Uruguay striker Luis Suarez has agreed to a one-year contract extension with Major League Soccer’s Miami, where he will play under new coach Javier Mascherano next season, the club announced.
The 37-year-old has netted 25 goals in all competitions since joining the club at the start of the season, including 20 during Miami’s record-breaking regular campaign.
After claiming the Supporters’ Shield for the best regular-season record and setting a new points tally benchmark, Miami was eliminated from the playoffs in the first round by Atlanta United.
Following the departure of Argentina head coach Gerardo Martino, Mascherano, Suarez’s former Barcelona teammate, was appointed head coach on Tuesday.
“I’m very happy, very excited to continue for another year and to be able to enjoy being here with this fan base, which for us is like family,” Suarez said. “We feel very, very connected with them, and hopefully, next year, we can bring them even more joy.”
Miami’s president of football operations, Raul Sanllehi, said Suarez had shown he remains an elite forward but was also a key component in the dressing room.
“Luis was not only our leading scorer this season but also a leader for the group. His impact cannot be understated,” Sanllehi said.
Suarez announced in September he was retiring from international duty with the Uruguay national team after scoring 69 goals in 143 games.
The forward played in Europe for Ajax, Liverpool, and Atlético Madrid and had a season in Brazil with Gremio before joining Miami.