Cruz Azul director of football Mathias Cardaccio has admitted that he tried to sign Luis Suarez earlier this year before the striker’s move to Inter Miami.
The 37-year-old attacker enjoyed a fantastic season with Gremio in 2023, with Suarez scoring 26 goals in all competitions and attracting some big interest from North and South America.
Whilst Inter Miami ultimately won the race for Suarez, former teammate Cardaccio also tried his best to bring the superstar attacker to Mexican giants Cruz Azul, though the one-time Uruguay international was too late.
Cardaccio told ESPN when asked about his attempt to sign Suarez for Cruz Azul: “When Ivan (Alonso) called me to come to Cruz Azul, the first thing I did was ask Luis if he wanted to come.
“I asked him what he was going to do, knowing about Inter Miami. I told him ‘Brother, I’m going to Cruz Azul, what plans do you have?’ And there he told me that Miami was already closed, but beyond that the daily relationship with him is beautiful.
“I would have loved for us to play in the Leagues Cup against them, so I could see it more directly, but we had Charlotte and Minnesota, and they had Tigres and Puebla in the group. But I talk to him often, he is my brother.”
Luis Suarez made the right decision in joining Inter Miami over Cruz Azul
Inter Miami seemed the only logical destination for Suarez when news broke that the attacker would be leaving Gremio at the end of last year.
And for the Herons, Suarez joining the likes of Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets is a huge boost for Inter Miami’s hopes of winning silverware, having last year claimed Leagues Cup glory.
Indeed, Suarez has looked bright in patches for Inter Miami in pre-season, with the 2024 MLS campaign now just one week away with one final friendly left to play.
And the veteran attacker himself could soon be pleased with the decision to join Inter Miami rather than Cruz Azul, with Suarez now back with his former FC Barcelona teammates.