Luis Suarez Retires from his 18 years International Football
Luis Suarez, One of Uruguay’s finest and controversial footballer, Luis Suarez has announced his international retirement. The 37-year-old forward decided to hang his boots after 18-years of service. He is one of the best that the South American nation has ever produced.
Luis Suarez’s career has been full of ups and downs. He is a very lethal striker but was involved in a few incidents that highlighted his name in the footballing world. The forward has played for the likes of Barcelona, Liverpool, Atletico Madrid, Ajax and other few clubs. He is currently playing for Inter Miami in the MLS. Let’s take a loot at how Suarez completed his international journey.
Luis Suarez: Debut in 2007
It is a dream for any player to represent his country at the international level. Suarez got this opportunity in 2007, when he was playing for Groningen. The forward made his debut against Colombia. He was sent off on his international debut. However, the manager showed faith in the young forward and he led Uruguay to the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
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A first World Cup to remember
Luis Suarez was a part of Uruguay’s 23-man squad for the FIFA World Cup 2010 in South Africa. Uruguay had an unforgettable campaign at the biggest stage of them all. They reached the semi-final stage, thanks to Suarez.
Suarez was playing the quarter-final match against Ghana. The match was heading towards penalties. Ghana got a free-kick and Suarez did the unexpected. He used his hand to stop the ball from crossing the goal line. The forward received a red card & Ghana received a penalty. Suarez was in tears on the touchline and watched the penalty. Asamoah Gyan missed the spot kick and Uruguay won the penalty shootout. Suarez was all over the news for taking such a big action. He scored three goals in the tournament.
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Only international triumph
In 2011, Luis Suarez won his first and only major tournament with the national team. Uruguay lifted the Copa America 2011. Suarez was named as the MVP. He scored four goals and created two others for his teammates.
Another World Cup, another incident
The controversial forward always took the limelight. Either he scored some spectacular goals or the forward ended up doing a silly thing on the field. Suarez had bitten a couple of players before the 2014 World Cup. In 2010, he bit a player while playing for Ajax. In 2013, Suarez received a 10-match ban for biting Chelsea’s Branislov Ivanovic. Luis Suarez & his team met Italy in the final group game. Towards the end of the match, Suarez was involved in a biting incident with Giorgio Chiellini. He bit the player and was clutching his face.
Referee didn’t spot the incident. Later on, FIFA suspended the player for nine international matches. This ban ended his World Cup campaign and the Copa America 2015.
The Uruguayan played in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup. Suarez scored 69 goals in 143 international matches. He was a lethal finisher for the team. Despite all the controversies, Suarez is rated as one of the best strikers that Uruguay has ever produced.
