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The 2023 youth tournament gets under way on Saturday, May 20, and it is a competition where some of the game's greats have made their mark

Before many of the game's legends became, well, legends, they were first hopefuls, prospects, starlets. And before many of them went on to lift some of the sport's most iconic trophies, they first lifted the Under-20 World Cup on their journey towards immortality.

Launched in 1977, the U20 World Cup, or the FIFA World Youth Championship as it was called until 2005, has served as a proving ground for several of the game's icons. Between them, Brazil and Argentina have lifted the trophy 11 times, and many of the players that defined generations for those two South American nations emerged in this tournament.

From Diego Maradona to Lionel Messi, Argentina have produced some of the world's best, while Brazilian stars Fernandinho and Oscar both scored some of the most memorable goals this tournament has to offer. But it's not just South American stars that have dominated this competition, though, as a certain Norwegian terminator first went mainstream with one of the most dominant performances this sport has seen at any level.

GOAL looks back at some of the biggest names and most memorable performances in U20 World Cup history:

Getty Images1979 – Diego Maradona

The 1979 tournament was the second iteration of the U20 World Cup, and it notably featured a breakout performance from one of the game's great icons. Before he became an Argentinian God, Diego Armando Maradona was a teenager at the then-FIFA World Youth Championship. His six goals, alongside eight from Ramon Diaz, led Argentina to the title, with both scoring in a 3-1 win over the Soviet Union in the final.

While Diaz claimed the Golden Boot, Maradona claimed the Golden Ball, setting the stage for one of football's most unforgettable careers.

AdvertisementGetty1987 – Davor Suker

Before becoming one of Croatia's best-ever players, Suker starred for Yugoslavia as they lifted the trophy in 1987. It took extra-time and a penalty shootout to take down West Germany, with the two sides each scoring goals after the 85th minute. In the end, though, Yugoslavia emerged victorious, with Suker finishing as the Golden Boot runner-up with six goals.

It wasn't enough for him to make the Golden Ball podium, though, with Yugoslavia's Robert Prosinecky winning the award over team-mate Zvonimir Boban, who finished second.

Getty Images1991 – Luis Figo and Rui Costa

After winning the tournament in 1989, Portugal somehow brought an even more star-studded squad to the 1991 tournament on home soil. Future legends Figo and Rui Costa headlined the squad, which ended up in the final against Brazil in front of over 125,000 fans at Estadio da Luz.

The match finished goalless, but both future midfield icons scored from the spot in the shootout win.

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clarin1997 – Lionel Scaloni

The 1997 Argentina team laid the foundation for a generation. Scaloni, who ultimately achieved World Cup glory as the country's manager in 2022, was one of several familiar faces in the squad that lifted the U20 World Cup in 1997.

Esteban Cambiasso, Pablo Aimar, Juan Roman Riquelme and Walter Samuel were all in the team that beat Uruguay 2-1 in the final. Each of those named ended up becoming superstars, while continuing to build their country's legacy at this tournament.

The Portuguese powerhouse have seen many top stars come and go for big transfer fees over the years

Sporting CP are one of the ultimate destinations for top clubs across Europe to find some of the greatest talent around in the game.

It's the club where Cristiano Ronaldo rose to prominence.

It's where Bruno Fernandes revived his career after an underwhelming spell in Serie A with Sampdoria.

And it's also where the likes of Nani, Joao Mario, Joao Moutinho and many more made a name for themselves?

But who are their most expensive sales ever and which players have landed the the most cash on a season by season basis?

Let's take a look!

Sporting CP most expensive outgoing transfers by season

Season

Biggest sale

Fee

Total sales

2022-23

Matheus Nunes

€45M

€119M

2021-22

Nuno Mendes

€7M

€16.67M

2020-21

Wendel

€20.30M

€47.88M

2019-20

Bruno Fernandes

€63M

€113.16M

2018-19

Gelson Martins

€22M

€79.17M

2017-18

Adrien Silva

€20.50M

€49.80M

2016-17

Joao Mario

€41M

€83.46M

2015-16

Cedric Soares

€7M

€19.02M

2014-15

Marcos Rojo

€20M

€31.30M

2013-14

Bruma

€13M

€35.66M

2012-13

Joao Pereira

€3.70M

€15.24M

2011-12

Simon Vukcevic

€2.30M

€6.63M

2010-11

Joao Moutinho

€11M

€22.30M

2009-10

Milan Purovic

€100,000

€100,000

2008-09

None

Nil

Nil

2007-08

Nani

€25.50M

€33.20M

2006-07

Deivid

€4.50M

€6.15M

2005-06

Joseph Enakarhire

€6M

€7M

2004-05

Danny

€3M

€4.80M

2003-04

Cristiano Ronaldo

€19M

€26.85M

2002-03

Hugo Viana

€12.75

€12.75M

2001-02

Delfim

€5M

€5.58M

2000-01

Aldo Duscher

€13M

€24.30M

TOTAL

€760M

*All figures are taken from Transfermarkt unless stated otherwise.

Sporting CP top 10 most expensive player salesGetty Images10Wendel | €20.3m | Zenit | 2020

After joining Sporting in 2018 following a strong season at Fluminense, Wendel found it difficult to adjust to new conditions in Portugal in his first few games for the club.

However, he started earning more caps after the appointment of Marcel Keizer as coach, but then suffered a knee injury which left him out for two months towards the end of 2018.

After returning, he wasn't the same player anymore and with immense competition for midfield spots at Sporting, Wendel was sold to Zenit in 2020 for a decent €20.30 million.

At Zenit, Wendel is performing rather well and he even scored the first hat-trick of his career in his team's 8-0 win against Orenburg.

AdvertisementGetty9Adrien Silva | €20.5m | Leicester | 2017

After making his debut for Sporting in August 2007, Adrien Silva became a mainstay in their team for the best part of a decade.

However, these 10 years at Sporting include a loan move at Academica in 2011, where he helped his new team defeat Porto in the fourth round and Sporting in the final on their way to lift the Portuguese Cup for the first time in 73 years.

He then returned to Lisbon in the summer of 2012 and was awarded the club's Player of the Year award in November 2013.

Fast forward to the summer of 2017, Sporting sold Silva to Leicester City for €20.5m, a move that didn't quite work out as he made just 14 appearances for the Foxes in a three-year spell, which included a season on loan at Monaco.

Getty Images8Raphinha | €21m | Rennes | 2019

After two seasons at Vitoria Guimaraes, Raphinha joined Sporting CP in the summer of 2018.

He scored his first goal for the club against Qarabag in the Europa League in 2018-19 and went on to lift the Taca de Portugal after scoring a penalty in the shootout victory against Porto.

After making 28 appearances during his only season at the club, the Brazilian joined French club Rennes for €21m in 2019.

After just one season in France, Raphinha later ended up joining Leeds in the Premier League in 2020 and then made the big-money switch to Barcelona in 2022.

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Getty Images7Gelson Martins | €22m | Atletico Madrid | 2018

Martins was born and raised in Cape Verde, but moved to Portugal as a teenager, playing at youth level with both Benfica and Sporting before he gained promotion to the senior side in 2014.

The winger, who became a Portuguese citizen in 2016, made 125 appearances for the Lisbon team, winning two trophies during his three-year tenure at the club.

In May 2018, an incident involving a group of around 50 fans entering Sporting's training centre who assaulted several players and staff members led to Martins requesting the club to terminate his contract in June.

In July 2018, Atletico Madrid came calling and announced his capture on a free transfer.

Sporting made an official complaint to FIFA over the transfer and demanded compensation of €100m, but the clubs eventually reached an agreement for a €22m fee.

Martins survived just six months at Atletico before being loaned to Monaco in January 2019, eventually being sold to them for €30m.

Newcastle star Joelinton may have put his name in the hat for miss of the season after spurning a gilt-edged chance against Chelsea.

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Newcastle host Chelsea at St James' ParkIsak and Sterling score in first halfJoelinton misses absolute sitter at 1-1Getty WHAT HAPPENED?

Alexander Isak smartly finished past Robert Sanchez in the 13th minute before Raheem Sterling equalised with a brilliant 22-yard free-kick 10 minutes later.

But Newcastle had a glorious chance to re-take the lead, only for Brazilian Joelinton to miss an open goal from inside the six-yard box, as he headed past the post.

AdvertisementSEE WHAT HAPPENED

Joelinton somehow missed from yards away.

PeacockGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

This is a big game for both teams but, arguably, for different reasons. Newcastle, who have their sights set on qualifying for the Champions League again next season, are five points off the top four, whereas Chelsea want to establish themselves as a force in the division once more, with the Blues currently a mid-table side still searching for fluency and cohesion. A win for either side would go a long way to helping them achieve their goals.

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WHAT NEXT?

After this match, Newcastle are back in Champions League action on Tuesday against Paris Saint-Germain whereas Chelsea host Brighton in the Premier League next Sunday.

Zimbabwe’s newly appointed captain Elton Chigumbura has cooled fears he may find himself on the sidelines with a quad injury shortly after taking over

Firdose Moonda17-Aug-2014Zimbabwe’s newly appointed captain Elton Chigumbura has cooled fears he may find himself on the sidelines with a quad injury shortly after taking over. Chigumbura hurt his quad in the first match of his second stint as captain, and battled through most of his 89 minutes at the crease.”I injured my quad but I think I will be fine,” Chigumbura said. “I just pulled it. I think I will be fine for the next game.” Chigumbura showed discomfort after facing 17 balls and asked for on-field treatment. He limped significantly on his left leg thereafter but confirmed the niggle had nothing to do with him not bowling in the match.Although Zimbabwe’s three seamers included two rookies in Neville Madziva and Luke Jongwe and an off-colour Shingi Masakadza, Chigumbura chose to concentrate on the nuances of captaincy instead of putting more burden on himself.”I thought the guys bowled well so there was no need for me to bowl,” he said. “In my first game as a captain there will be a lot of things on my mind so I tried to concentrate on managing the bowlers and the field settings.”Chigumbura conceded that his attack gave away “20 runs too many,” but was happy with their overall fielding effort. Zimbabwe dropped Hashim Amla on 62 but did not let any other chances go begging. What will worry Chigumbura more is that Zimbabwe did not create many chances on an unhelpful surface.With just a day’s rest between matches, Zimbabwe will look for an immediate solution in terms of being “more strict on the bowlers,” and could even bring some changes to the batting line-up.Chigumbura was unhappy with the top-order’s failing and asked his men to show more staying power at the crease. “Wickets in hand is going to be key if we want to win these games so on the batting side, we need to improve on that,” he said.Zimbabwe only need to look to South Africa for evidence of how that can work. After finding themselves only two wickets down after 80% of their innings was complete, the visitors could assert themselves with freedom in the final 10 overs.”We showed we are quite dangerous in the last 10 overs with wickets in hand,” South Africa captain AB de Villiers said. “We didn’t have Morne, Dale or Vernon – the old stalwarts so it was nice to see we can win games without them here. It was nice to see Kyle Abbott and Aaron Phangiso bowling well today. So it’s nice to see we have some depth.”Those players have likely earned themselves another match after which South Africa may try new combinations again. “The most important thing for me is to win games for South Africa. We will try and get the best XI on the field in the next match,” de Villiers said. “If we win the series, there is room to try out a few new positions but we will look at that only after the next game.”

The Gujarat Cricket Association, citing logistical and financial issues, has declined the Delhi and District Cricket Association’s request to switch the venue of the Ranji Trophy group match between the two teams from Delhi to Ahmedabad

Amol Karhadkar24-Dec-2014The Gujarat Cricket Association, citing logistical and financial issues, has declined the Delhi and District Cricket Association’s request to switch the venue of the Ranji Trophy group match between the two teams from Delhi to Ahmedabad.”We could not accept the request since our return flight bookings as well as hotel bookings had been done well in advance,” Rajesh Patel, the GCA joint secretary, told ESPNcricinfo. “Because of this (festive) season, cancellation of the bookings would have resulted in a huge loss, which we could not bear, so we have informed the BCCI and the DDCA accordingly.”Chetan Chauhan, the DDCA vice-president, confirmed that the match, which starts from December 28, will be “played at Feroz Shah Kotla.”According to the home-and-away policy of the BCCI for determining the Ranji schedule, Delhi were supposed to host Gujarat. However, since fog has been affecting matches in northern India, including Delhi, captain Gautam Gambhir had requested the DDCA for the match to be hosted in Gujarat instead. Chauhan had in turn spoken to the BCCI. The board, it is understood, had no problems if both the associations involved mutually decided to change the venue.

Aaron Phangiso, the South Africa left-arm spinner, has had his action cleared and is now set to take part in the World T20 but will not be rushed back into action for the deciding T20 against Australia in Cape Town on Wednesday

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Mar-2016Aaron Phangiso, the South Africa left-arm spinner, has had his action cleared and is now set to take part in the World T20 but will not be rushed back into action for the deciding T20 against Australia in Cape Town on Wednesday.He had been reported for a suspect action following Lions’ win against Warriors in the semi-final of the Momentum One Day Cup on February 24 and subsequent testing in Pretoria had found all his deliveries were illegal as they broke the 15-degree limit.Following remedial work with the South Africa coaching staff the follow-up tests that were carried out on Monday have now found all his deliveries to be within the permitted limits so his suspension has been lifted.After the initial test where his action failed, Phangiso was kept in the South Africa squad for the T20s against Australia with a view to him playing the final match if he was cleared, but he will now be given extra time to work on his remodelled action away from the spotlight of an international fixture before flying to India for the World T20.”It’s a huge relief to be cleared and to have my bowling action passed, it has been a tough and challenging few weeks for me,” Phangiso said. “Many thanks to Cricket South Africa and the Proteas management for their support and for giving me the best opportunity of making it to India for the ICC World T20.”In saying that, I’d really like to use the next few days ahead of the tournament to gain playing confidence, especially with some of the technical adjustments we have made to my action. My focus is on the World Cup and I’d really like to head into the competition with good form and confidence.”Russell Domingo, the South Africa coach, said: “We are really happy and relieved that Aaron has passed his re-test and he can now ready himself for the big tournament ahead. I said at the beginning of the series that we wanted to give everyone in the squad an opportunity to play and while it is tempting to play him tomorrow, both Aaron and I feel it’s best that he takes a little more time to work on and gain confidence with his new adjustments.”We have an important few weeks coming up in India so it’s going to be important to have him in the right frame of mind both mentally and physically.”South Africa open their World T20 campaign against England on March 18 in Mumbai. They have two warm-up matches, the first against India on March 12 followed by a second, against a local side, on March 15.

Liverpool have been linked with an astonishing swoop to sign Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain after Real Madrid withdrew from the race.

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Reds linked with deal to sign MbappeReal reported to have pulled out Would be a hugely expensive dealWHAT HAPPENED?

Real have reportedly made the decision not to pursue Mbappe in the summer, when he will be available on a free transfer. They have pursued the France international for multiple windows, but believe that his contractual demands and the deal he is currently on make him unattainable.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

A new report from AS, via Sport Witness, claims that Mbappe wants as much as €35 million (£30.5m/$38m) per year after tax, which equates to a weekly wage of £586,000 ($728,000). He would also require around €100m (£87m/$108m) as a signing-on fee. Liverpool were linked with a move as recently as last summer.

DID YOU KNOW?

Mbappe has been a Real Madrid fan since childhood and one famous image of the striker as a boy shows him surrounded by posters of Cristiano Ronaldo in his bedroom. However, while it seemed certain that he would end up in Spain eventually, a move to England is also now on the cards.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MBAPPE?

Mbappe is likely to be involved as France face Gibraltar and Greece in the international break. He will next play for PSG on November 24, against Monaco.

The club's campaign could be all-but over by the weekend as they prepare for a cup final and season-defining league games

When we look back at Inter Miami's season, Lionel Messi's first with the club, we'll likely look back at this week as the one that decided it all. The Leagues Cup triumph of the summer will ensure this season is a success, as will the seismic signing of Messi, but can they make it something even more? We'll likely find out over the next four days.

Miami face a massive period in their short history, beginning with Wednesdays U.S. Open Cup final against the Houston Dynamo. Comparisons are tough, given how new the Leagues Cup is, but, thus far, only 14 teams in MLS history have won a double, and it's safe to say none would be as absurd as Inter Miami's, who came out of nowhere to make two cup finals, led by one of the greatest players of all time.

The Open Cup is only the beginning, though. After Wednesday, Miami will have little time to celebrate or commiserate, as their miracle push towards the MLS playoffs continues this Saturday in a make-or-break match against New York City FC.

Their place in the standings makes things hard enough but, making matters worse, they'll likely have to do it without Messi leading the charge. An injury has the Argentine's status in doubt as Miami's season sits on the brink.

So can Miami produce another miracle, or will the magic finally run out? We'll find out soon enough…

GettyThe big injury

It has to be said: what Miami has accomplished this season has been nothing short of miraculous. On the field, off the field… all of it. The club has already built something completely unfathomable just a few months ago.

That Leagues Cup run was spurred on by Messi, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, who instantly turned a last-place team into a force. They weren't alone, as the club brought in plenty of young talent alongside them, but it was the ex-Barcelona trio that truly began Miami's shift.

Unfortunately for Miami, they could be without two of those three for the Open Cup final, and potentially longer. Messi has been dealing with an injury since the international break, forcing him to miss two of the club's last three games. His last appearance was cut short, too, as he lasted less than a half against Toronto FC before being forced off.

The same can be said for Alba, who, unlike Messi, has essentially been ruled out of the Open Cup final. "We will wait until tomorrow," coach Tata Martino said ahead of the match. "Jordi is difficult but with Messi we will wait until tomorrow."

"If it's not a final, we're not taking any risks," he added. "This is a final and it could bring you a title. It could take 90 or 120 minutes, but if it's another game we wouldn't risk it."

Added Busquets: “Clearly, it’s a handicap not having the best player in the world and the difference-maker on our team, but we will wait until tomorrow and hopefully there is a chance he can be there to help us. And if not, surely other players will step up and help us be the better team.”

AdvertisementGettyA costly mistake?

Since Messi walked off the field against Toronto FC, the question has lingered: should he have been there in the first place? Did Miami risk too much?

Hindsight, is of course, 20/20, which Martino admits. If he knew what condition Messi would end up being in, he probably would have held him out. The decision to play him may have come with the best intentions, but it may have also been the one to derail Miami's season.

"Sometimes it's difficult because between the medical staff, the player, the coaching staff, we all talk. He felt good in the 48 hours before the game, he did everything that was needed and finally what happened, happened," Martino said. "It's much easier to look back, but we don't know that in advance. Sometimes we get it right and sometimes we make mistakes."

The fact is that Miami have not lost when Messi has played, either as a starter or substitute. Their one defeat came against Atlanta in a match where Messi was unfit to play. So now, as they stare down the possibility of a cup final without their talismanic superstar, the question now becomes: can they do it without him?

GettyA trophy chance

As Martino says, cup finals are a bit different. They're the type of games that define a season, for better or worse. A bad season can turn into a success with some silverware involved, while a good season can be derailed if a club ends it all with nothing to show for it.

Miami already have one trophy in hand: the Leagues Cup. However, if they can capture a second? This season goes down in history.

In their way stands the Dynamo, a team that has undergone something of their own resurgence. The Dynamo have been, in head coach Ben Olsen's own words, "irrelevant" for the last decade. They've been perennial losers, having fallen off a cliff after being a true contender for the first decade of the new millennium.

Under Olsen, though, things are changing. The club sits fourth in the Western Conference, led by their star midfielder, Mexico international Hector Herrera. And, just as importantly, they've battled all the way to this cup final as they look to get their hands on the trophy for the second time.

Standing in their way will be Inter Miami, who will be desperate to get their hands on a second trophy of the season. Making the desperation even more real is the fact that this may just be their last chance to compete for silverware this season.

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(C)Getty ImagesThe playoff picture

There will be no rest for Inter Miami after Wednesday. The celebration, or the sadness, won't last too long into the night. There are bigger challenges just around the corner.

After Wednesday's cup final, Miami will have around 72 hours to prepare for their next task: a miracle push towards the MLS playoffs. As things stand, the club sits five points out of a playoff place with five teams ahead of them to leapfrog. The good news is that Miami have a game or two in hand on most of the teams above them; the bad news is that they'll have only five games of their own to make up the gap.

Any slip up can be, and probably will be, catastrophic. It begins this Saturday against NYCFC, the team currently holding that final Eastern Conference playoff spot. Then will come a visit to Chicago, one of the teams above them. By then, we'll likely know if this team is dead in the water or not ahead of a clash with Supporters' Shield-bound FC Cincinnati and a double-header with Charlotte FC to close the season.

The game against NYCFC could very well be the decider. A loss there will almost certainly end Miami's season. A draw, too, may not be enough to save them. The Open Cup is one test, a one-off game with a trophy on the line. But if the Herons want a chance to compete for a third trophy, the biggest of them all, MLS Cup, they'll need to survive what comes after.

Azhar Mahmood has been appointed Pakistan’s bowling coach for the Asia Cup and World T20

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Feb-20161:05

Mushtaq out, Mahmood in as interim bowling coach

Azhar Mahmood has been appointed Pakistan’s bowling coach for the Asia Cup and World T20, and is expected to join the squad in Dhaka on Thursday evening. The former Pakistan allrounder is replacing regular bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed for these two tournaments; according to the PCB, Mushtaq is rested and is expected to resume his duties ahead of the England tour in June this year.”Mushi has been rested for two events as he was too fatigued,” Pakistan’s team manager told ESPNcricinfo. “Mahmood is a good replacement for the interim, being a T20 specialist. He will join the squad later this evening.”Mushtaq, 45, the former Pakistan legspinner, has been a part of the Pakistan coaching staff and team management since 2014. He last played for Pakistan in 2003. After ending his playing career, he transformed into a successful coach. He worked with England as a spin-bowling consultant, and when he was released in 2014 he started working with Pakistan, working with and mentoring Saeed Ajmal and Yasir Shah among others.Mahmood, 40, has been active at domestic level since his last international game in 2007. A vastly experienced allrounder, he has played 225 T20s, representing teams from Pakistan, England, India, Bangladesh, New Zealand and the West Indies. Although he has not been involved in any international coaching till date, he has featured in the minor-coaching roles in private clubs in the UAE and England.

After missing out on the MLS playoffs in 2023, who could be on their way to South Beach, and what are the club's needs heading into the offseason?

Inter Miami's summer transfer window of 2023 will go down in history. No window in MLS history will have been quite as important. It became immortal the moment Lionel Messi arrived in South Florida, and every moment since than has felt like something out of a movie for anyone following this club.

But, like all great movies, anticipation is building for a sequel. How can Inter Miami possibly follow up the most impactful transfer window of all-time? Can the club pull off more big swings in the months to come? And, most importantly, with Messi now leading the charge, what pieces can they put around him to turn all of these feel-good moments into a legitimate shot at an MLS Cup?

The process of answering those questions has already begun. Since Messi arrived, rumors have been swirling about the next big arrival to follow him, as well as Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, to Inter Miami.

But who could Miami sign this winter? GOAL takes a look…

(C)Getty ImagesRules to follow

For those new to MLS, each team operates within a set of guidelines. Some clubs, infamously, play fast and loose with those guidelines, Inter Miami included. But as we head into the 2024 MLS season, we're not entirely sure what those guidelines will look like.

There have been rumors of some changes this winter, but until those are confirmed, we'll have to operate under the assumption that MLS rules will look roughly similar to how they did in 2023. As a result, Inter Miami will enter the season with three Designated Players, the maximum amount, on the roster: Messi, Busquets and Leonardo Campana.

The good news, though, is that the club will finally be finished with its punishment handed down by the league for playing fast and loose with roster rules. The club was caught underreporting salaries, most notably that of French star Blaise Matuidi, leading to a massive fine and a reduced amount of allocation money in 2022 and 2023, limiting how much the club could spend on its roster.

That's done now, meaning Inter Miami will enter 2024 on the same playing field as everyone else.

AdvertisementGettyLuis Suarez

If reports are to be believed, this is all but done. Here's what we know for sure: Luis Suarez is leaving Gremio this winter. The club has confirmed that he's on his way out, albeit controversially, after the striker's fitness dramatically improved once it seemed a switch to Miami with Messi became possible.

Here's what we also know: Messi and Suarez are essentially each other's best friends in the sport. Their families are close and they developed quite a bond, on and off the field, at Barcelona. During their time at Camp Nou, the two were essentially unstoppable, and Messi's relationship with the Blaugrana famously started to go downhill when Barca jettisoned Suarez unceremoniously.

Suarez looks bound for Inter Miami, although it remains to be seen what type of finances it'll take to make that happen. Alba, for example, took a cheap deal in order to play with his friends. Will Suarez do the same to bring yet another Barcelona All-Star to Miami?

Getty ImagesLuka Modric

If Suarez has been linked to Miami the most, Luka Modric finds himself in second place. Reports of the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner joining seven-time winner Messi have been so plentiful, in fact, that Carlo Ancelotti was forced to discuss the speculation, saying thatas things stand, there's no plan to let Modric leave Real Madrid in January. But things change quickly in this sport, don't they?

The question with Modric, though, isn't if Miami can sign him, but what would happen if they did. The midfield already has one ageing midfield star in Busquets cemented in; could Miami afford more older legs in a league like MLS? And if they do make that happen, is someone like Benjamin Cremaschi ready to do all the running needed to keep the midfield going?

Maybe we'll find out, maybe we won't, but the links to Modric probably won't be going away. If the club does pull it off, they'll have brought in another superstar who is still somewhat near the top of his game.

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GettySergi Roberto

Oh look, another Barcelona player linked with a move to Miami! Sergi Roberto isn't an iconic player like Messi, Alba, Busquets or Suarez, but the versatile midfielder has been a mainstay in Catalunya for over a decade, winning everything there is to win. At 31, he still has a few good years in the tank and could finally play a more regular role if he does come to MLS.

It may not happen this winter, though, as reports out of Spain say that Roberto is eager to lead Barcelona as its captain, having taken on the role following Busquets' departure.