Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi launch new football club in Uruguay

Suarez announced via Instagram on Tuesday that the club, formerly known as Deportivo LS, has officially been renamed Deportivo LSM and will compete in Uruguay's fourth-tier Division D, under the Uruguayan Football Federation (AUF).

"We have over 3,000 members, solid infrastructure, and more than 80 professionals working daily to support the development of children and teenagers," said Suarez, Uruguay's all-time top scorer. "We want to give young people the opportunities and tools we didn't have growing up."

Seated beside Suarez in the video was Lionel Messi, his longtime friend and former teammate at both Barcelona and Inter Miami. Messi expressed his excitement about joining the project and pledged to contribute to its development.

"It's an honor and a joy that you invited me," Messi said. "This is a project you've been building for years, and now being part of it alongside you is very special."

The announcement coincided with the launch of Deportivo LSM's official Instagram account, which attracted over 40,000 followers within two hours.

The foundation for the club was laid in 2018, when the Suarez family opened an 8-hectare sports complex in Ciudad de la Costa, a suburb of Montevideo, Uruguay. The facility includes an artificial grass stadium with a capacity of 1,400 spectators, multiple training grounds, and programs for its growing membership base.

While Messi's exact role in the club remains unspecified, Marca reported that he is a partner in the project. Former Uruguay and Inter Milan midfielder Álvaro Recoba is expected to serve as the team's head coach.