Following his Matchday 29 performance, Inter Miami CF star Luis Suárez has earned MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Michelob Ultra honors for the third time this season.
The legendary Uruguayan striker notched his fourth multi-goal MLS game this year with a brace in Miami's 2-0 home win over FC Cincinnati, helping clinch the Herons' spot in the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Suárez struck just 31 seconds into Saturday's match at Chase Stadium, recording the fastest goal in club history, and added another in the sixth minute. Suárez now has 14 goals, two behind the club’s single-season MLS record held by Gonzalo Higuaín (16 in 2022).
Suárez joins teammate Lionel Messi and Cristian Arango (Real Salt Lake) as three-time honorees this season. Miami are the first team in MLS history to have two players win the MLS Player of the Matchday award at least three times in a single season.
By securing a playoff berth in their 26th regular-season match, Miami (56 points; 17W-4L-5D) became the fourth team in league history to clinch a postseason place within the first 26 games of a 34-game season, joining LAFC (25 games in 2022 and 2019) and FC Cincinnati (26 in 2023). All three previous teams to accomplish the feat captured the Supporters’ Shield.
The first-place Herons continue their quest for their first-ever Supporters' Shield on Saturday night when visiting Chicago Fire FC (8:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass).
The MLS Player of the Matchday is selected each matchday of the regular season through both media and fan voting in a process conducted by MLS Communications. A panel of journalists from the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) comprises 75 percent of the vote, while an X (formerly known as Twitter) fan vote represents the remaining 25 percent of voting. NASR consists of members of print, television, radio, and online media.
