Luis Suarez was lauded by his Inter Miami teammates after the ex-Barcelona striker guided the Herons to victory in the absence of Lionel Messi

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Inter Miami thrashed Chicago Fire 4-1Suarez bagged a brace at Soldier FieldOne of the challengers for the MLS Golden BootWHAT HAPPENED?

With Messi sidelined since June 1, Suarez has taken on the mantle of leadership, guiding the team to success in Major League Soccer. Suarez has risen to the occasion spectacularly, proving that the team can still thrive without their talisman's presence on the field. His latest heroics came in a 4-1 triumph over the Chicago Fire, where he netted two crucial goals in the second half to seal the win.

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After the brace, Suarez boasts of having scored six goals in seven matches since returning from Copa America duty. Four of them have been netted in the last two games. At 37, Suarez is showing no signs of slowing down and remains in contention for the MLS Golden Boot. He is just one goal behind the league's top scorers, Real Salt Lake's Cristian Arango and D.C. United's Christian Benteke.

WHAT INTER MIAMI PLAYERS SAID

Inter Miami players have been quick to acknowledge Suarez's contributions, with defender Ian Fray expressing his admiration for the striker's consistency. "He's been doing it his whole career," Fray said. "Nothing's changed. It's just amazing to be on the field with these types of guys and have them there. It's just a boost of confidence for everybody."

Julian Gressel, another of Suarez's teammates, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the forward's game-changing abilities. "He means so much in the stuff he creates for us," Gressel noted. "And obviously, the stuff he puts away for us is incredible. Tonight, two goals again, last game as well… There's certainly a different quality when he's on like that, and it makes a big difference when you have game-changers like him."

WHAT MARTINO SAID

Not only have Suarez's teammates lavished him with praise, but manager Tata Martino also hailed his performance against the Fire.

"Luis was the best player on the field," he said. "Everything he does to give the team circulation, to create passing opportunities and chances… the truth is, he did very well."