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Uruguay striker Luis Suarez, 37, has announced his retirement from international football, marking the upcoming World Cup qualifier against Paraguay as his final appearance for his country. The match is set to take place on Saturday at 00:30 BST.
Suarez, Uruguay’s all-time leading scorer with 69 goals in 142 appearances, made an emotional announcement, saying, “I’ve been thinking about this and analysing this. I believe this is the right time.” The former Liverpool and Barcelona star added, “I want to be relaxed when I play my last game with the national team. I’ll be just as excited to play as I was in 2007 when I played for my national team for the first time.”
Debuting in February 2007 against Colombia, Suarez has played in nine major international tournaments, leaving a significant mark on Uruguay’s football history. He was instrumental in Uruguay’s 2011 Copa America victory, finishing as the tournament’s second top scorer.
Suarez’s international career also includes controversial moments, such as his infamous handball in the 2010 World Cup quarter-final against Ghana, which helped Uruguay reach the semi-finals. His 2014 World Cup campaign saw him score twice against England but ended in a four-month ban after he bit Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini.
Reflecting on his career, Suarez acknowledged the challenges: “We did go through difficult moments. There were many. Personally, it was worse for me after my massive mistake in 2014. But there’s nothing that I would reproach.”
