Luis Suárez, Uruguay’s all-time leading goalscorer and current Inter Miami striker, announced on Tuesday the founding of a new professional football club in his homeland. The team, formerly known as Deportivo LS, will now operate under the name LSM — a clear nod to the legendary partnership of Luis Suárez and Lionel Messi.
The announcement, made via a video posted on Suárez’s social media platforms, introduced a project deeply rooted in family, community, and a shared love of the game. Sitting beside him in the video was none other than Messi himself, the man with whom he shared a prolific six-year spell at Barcelona and who currently lines up alongside him at Inter Miami.
“Deportivo LS is a family dream that began in 2018. We have grown a lot with more than 3,000 members,” Suárez said. “I want to offer Uruguayan football, the place I love and where I grew up as a child, opportunities and tools for teenagers and children to grow.”
The 38-year-old striker retired from international football in September last year but has shown no signs of stepping away from the sport altogether. Instead, he appears determined to give back to the game — and the country — that raised him. This latest venture is not merely a vanity project but part of a long-term vision to develop young talent and strengthen Uruguay’s domestic football pyramid.
Messi On Board
Although Suárez will serve as the principal founder, Messi has publicly joined the project, offering his support and, reportedly, a stake in the ownership. “I’m proud and happy that you chose me,” Messi said in the video. “I hope to contribute everything I can to continue growing and, above all, to be by your side in this.”
While Messi’s exact role in the club has yet to be formally defined, Uruguayan media have suggested that the Argentine icon will hold a partnership role in the new entity. His involvement, even symbolically, has already generated global buzz and significantly boosted the club’s profile.
Within hours of the announcement, LSM’s newly-launched Instagram page had amassed over 40,000 followers, highlighting the draw of the Suárez-Messi brand — even in the amateur tiers of football.
Grassroots Vision with Big Names
LSM will begin life in Uruguay’s fourth tier of professional football, but the infrastructure already in place suggests ambitions far greater than their starting point.
In 2018, Suárez and his family opened a 20-acre sports complex in Ciudad de la Costa, located on the outskirts of Montevideo. The facility currently serves over 3,000 members and boasts a synthetic turf stadium with a seating capacity of 1,400, alongside several other training and recreational fields.
This complex will serve as the base for LSM, giving the club a head start in facilities, planning, and youth engagement — elements often lacking in newly formed sides.
Adding further prestige to the project, former Uruguay international and Inter Milan star Álvaro Recoba is expected to take on the role of head coach. Known for his flair and intelligence on the pitch, Recoba’s presence could attract aspiring players and bring invaluable experience to the dressing room.
A Legacy Beyond Goals
For Suárez, this initiative marks a full-circle moment. After years of breaking records in Europe’s biggest leagues, he is returning to nurture the next generation of Uruguayan footballers.
“There are many kids with dreams like I had,” he said. “Now I want to help make those dreams come true.”
With Messi by his side once again, Suárez isn’t just creating a football team — he’s building a legacy that may inspire young footballers across South America. LSM might begin its journey in the lower leagues, but with two legends steering the ship, expectations are already sky-high.
