Apr 7, 2026, 02:16 PM
Open Extended Reactions
Viktor Gyökeres left a huge hole at Sporting CP but they have filled in with a goal-machine with a familiar name.
Luis Suárez is now the Portuguese team's main striker, gunning for Arsenal in the Champions League quarterfinals.
But who is he, and what's his history?
Meet Luis Suárez... no, not that one
Luis Suárez is in great goalscoring form for Sporting CP. Getty
Sharing a name with Liverpool, Barcelona, Inter Miami and Uruguay hero Luis Suárez was always going to heighten expectation.
But Sporting's Suárez is a 28-year-old striker from Colombia who previously spent time in England with Watford.
I don't remember him in England?
That's because Suárez didn't play a single game for Watford despite being contracted to them for three years.
He started his career with Leones in Colombia, and spent time with Granada in Spain, before signing for Watford. But he immediately went on loan back to Spain with Real Valladolid B and Gimnastic, before top-scoring for Real Zaragoza in the second division.
Watford sold him to Granada, who he rejoined for a second spell, for £10 million in 2020.
Suárez earned a big move to Marseille in France but it never caught fire, and he swiftly went back to Almeria in Spain. After 31 goals in Spain's second division last season, Sporting signed him last summer.
Suárez's goals helped fill Gyökeres void
Luis Suárez will come up against Arsenal in the Champions League. Getty
Suárez has scored 24 goals in 25 league starts this season, since Gyökeres departed for Arsenal.
Gyökeres, by contrast, has 11 Premier League goals in 23 starts. Suárez's goal haul -- albeit in a different league and country -- is even better than Premier League top-scorer Erling Haaland, who has netted 22 times this season.
Suárez wears an uncommon squad number
The Colombian striker took on the No. 97 shirt when he arrived at Sporting this season. It represents his year of birth.
"I like to mark new beginnings, different chapters in my career," he said. "I used to wear the No. 9, but now at Sporting CP I want to take the No. 97 to the highest level."
How does Suárez describe his playing style?
He described himself as "a strong, agile striker, always with his eye on goal, who gives everything to help his teammates not only in attack, but also in defence whenever necessary."
Suárez has a tattoo of a lion
He said about the lion tattooed onto his left arm: "I identify with this animal because of its personality and character, and the tenacity with which it protects its pack."
How is Suárez faring for Colombia?
An international striker, too, Suárez has scored four goals in 10 caps for Colombia. He played in their recent losses to France and Colombia and will hope to be in their squad for the World Cup.