MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Messi and Suárez launch new football club in Uruguay: Deportivo LSM

Deportivo LSM will begin its journey in the Segunda División Amateur, the fourth tier of Uruguayan football.

Football legends Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez have announced the creation of their own football club in Uruguay, “Deportivo LSM,” which will compete in the country’s official league system under the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) starting in 2026.

“It’s an honor and a joy that you invited me,” Messi said in a video shared on social media by Suárez, his longtime friend and former teammate at FC Barcelona and Inter Miami. “This is a project you’ve been building for years, and now being part of it alongside you is very special,” he added.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Luis Suárez (@luissuarez9)

Suárez, Uruguay’s all-time top scorer, described the move as the realization of a family dream that began in 2018. “We have over 3,000 members, a solid infrastructure, and more than 80 professionals working every day to support the development of children and teenagers,” he said. “We want to give young people the opportunities and tools we didn’t have growing up.”

Deportivo LSM will begin its journey in the Segunda División Amateur, the fourth tier of Uruguayan football. The club already fields a women’s U16 team and participates in amateur leagues. Its headquarters will be the Luis Suárez Sports City, a state-of-the-art facility near Montevideo featuring both natural and synthetic turf pitches, mini stadiums, and a total capacity exceeding 2,000 spectators.

The project was unveiled after a teaser campaign by Suárez on Instagram, where he gradually revealed the club’s name. “This step is a huge source of excitement for me and my family—and having Leo on board makes it even more special,” Suárez said.