Former Liverpool and Barcelona striker Luis Suarez has found himself at the center of fresh controversy after appearing to spit at a rival coach during a post-match brawl.

The incident occurred on Sunday night following Inter Miami’s 3-0 defeat to the Seattle Sounders in the Leagues Cup final.

Footage showed the 38-year-old confronting a Sounders staff member near the halfway line as tempers flared after the final whistle. Suarez seemed to spit in his direction before Miami goalkeeper Oscar Ustari stepped in to diffuse the situation.

Moments earlier, players from both sides had been involved in a heated melee, with several seen grabbing each other by the neck and throwing punches.

Speaking afterwards, Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano declined to address the specifics:

“Nobody likes these kinds of actions at the end of a match, but if there’s a reaction, maybe there was provocation.”

Seattle Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer expressed disappointment that the brawl overshadowed his team’s victory:

“Unfortunately, this takes attention away from a great performance by the Seattle Sounders. Maybe Miami’s frustrations led to things that shouldn’t happen on the field. I’ll shut that down, because that shouldn’t be the story.”

Suarez, who joined Inter Miami earlier this year, is no stranger to controversy. His career has been marred by high-profile incidents, including:

  • An eight-match ban and fine in 2011 for racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra.

  • A refusal to shake Evra’s hand in a subsequent Premier League match.

  • Three separate biting scandals, including Ajax’s Otman Bakkal, Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic, and Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup, which earned him a four-month suspension.

Major League Soccer is now expected to review the footage, with Suarez likely facing a lengthy ban for his latest misconduct.