The attacking partnership between Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez at Barcelona is well-known but the two remain extremely close friends and are planning a reunification before retiring
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Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi formed the most cohesive partnership both on and off the pitch in recent seasons.
The two South American forwards struck up a close personal friendship during their six seasons together at Barcelona, where they were among the most deadly attacking threats in the world.
Suarez netted an incredible 198 goals during his stint at the Camp Nou between 2014 and 2020 where he played alongside Messi.
Suarez joined rivals Atletico Madrid last year – and subsequently fired them to the title in La Liga – before Messi left the Blaugrana as a free agent this summer to join Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year contract.
The two remain close friends and the pair even holidayed together this summer with their young families.
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Suarez is into the final year of his contract at Atleti but is in talks to extend his deal by a further year, which would ensure his stay at the club goes through to the summer of 2023.
A large reason for this is that Suarez would remain at the highest level of football for the time of the next World Cup, which will be held in Qatar in the winter of 2022.
Suarez is currently aged 34 and will celebrate his 36 th birthday the month after the World Cup and while he would want to continue his playing career, he is likely to move away from the top level.
The summer of 2023 is when Messi’s current deal in Paris will expire, with the forward – six months younger than Suarez – in a similar situation of wanting to prolong his career but being open to a move away from the top end of European football to conclude his career.
As outlined by Diario Sport, the two have a joint plan to reunite at this stage in order to continue their playing days at the same club in the United States.
Inter Miami – the franchise club owned by David Beckham – is said to be the most likely destination for the two superstars to reunite and the summer of 2023 could be a genuine possibility for this to happen.
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The report goes as far as to say that talks have already taken place with an understanding between the parties that this could be pulled off at that stage.
The moves would allow both players to continue their playing careers while earning significant wages but in a league which is less likely to expose their physical shortcomings.
There are still two seasons to complete and both players will want to compete in their final World Cup in a year’s time but the two appear to be planning a reunification in North America.
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