Uruguay And Barcelona Legend Luis Suarez Announces Retirement From International Football

New DelhiL: Legendary Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez is all set to retire from international footballer, as the Inter Miami forward confirmed that he will draw curtains to his illustrious international career after the 2026 World Cup qualifier clash against Paraguay in Montevideo, on Friday, September 6.

“Friday will be my last match for my country, Luis Suarez, 37, told a press conference.

“It was not an easy decision to make, but I do it with the peace of mind that I will give my maximum until the very last game of my (Uruguay) career.”

The former Barcelona striker is considered as one of the greatest striker of his generation and will leave the international stage as Uruguay’s top scorer with 69 goals from 142 matches.

Luis Suárez, who gained global notoriety after being banned for four months for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini during the 2014 World Cup, first made his debut for Uruguay in 2007.

The Inter Miami striker played a pivotal role in lifting Copa America title in 2011 and ended up being player of the tournament, he represented Uruguay in nine major tournaments.

Luis Suárez said on Monday that leading Uruguay to Copa América glory remains the pinnacle of his career. “I wouldn’t trade the Copa América title for anything,” he stated. “It was the best moment of my career.”

Prolific and a talented forward, Suárez has often found himself in the midst of controversy. Putting aside the biting incident at the 2014 World Cup, which earned him a ban for four months, he was at the center of one of the biggest controversies in the 2010 World Cup. His deliberate handball on the goal line denied Ghana a late winner in the quarterfinals. Suárez was sent off, but Ghana missed the penalty, and Uruguay finally won after a shootout.

Suárez’s club career was also not free from controversy, particularly in 2011 when he had been handed an eight-game ban in England after being accused of racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra.

Undeterred, Suárez continued to be an important feature for Uruguay as the team qualified first in their section to reach both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. For Uruguay during the 2024 Copa América, Suárez was used mainly as a substitute by coach Marcelo Bielsa. Suárez scored his 69th international goal during the third-place play-off of Uruguay against Canada.