Luis Suarez courted controversy throughout his career, with the former Liverpool star coming to the attention of the wider world of soccer with one such moment during the 2010 World Cup
11:28, 10 Jun 2026
Uruguay's striker Luis Suarez (top) celebrates with teammates at the end of the 2010 World Cup quarter-final match Uruguay vs. Ghana on July 2, 2010 at Soccer City stadium in Soweto, suburban Johannesburg. Uruguay won 4-2 on penalty shots. NO PUSH TO MOBILE / MOBILE USE SOLELY WITHIN EDITORIAL ARTICLE AFP PHOTO / RODRIGO ARANGUA (Photo credit should read RODRIGO ARANGUA/AFP via Getty Images)
Luis Suarez celebrates with his Uruguay teammates after beating Ghana at the 2010 World Cup(Image: Getty Images)
Luis Suarez is certainly no stranger to controversy, with the former Liverpool striker having regularly landed himself in trouble throughout his career.
There are of course the infamous biting incidents, with the striker having been banned on three occasions after being caught on camera sinking his teeth into opposition players, including Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic during a game at Anfield.
And there was the eight-game ban he served after being found guilty of racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra in 2011, an incident which left a stain on Liverpool after his teammates publicly supported him by wearing shirts bearing Suarez’s name and number - something which Jamie Carragher has since admitted was a mistake.
Before he’d even joined Liverpool though, Suarez had already shrouded himself in controversy, having first come to the wider global audience during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
He was part of a Uruguay that had surprised many, having outperformed its South American counterparts Brazil and Argentina to reach the semi-finals - although the way in which they did so has divided supporters for years, and inevitably, Suarez was at the center of things.
Having reached the quarter-finals, Uruguay came up against Ghana, the last remaining African side left in the tournament. This was a significant moment, with the Black Stars aiming to become the first team from the continent to reach the World Cup semi-finals in the first tournament held in Africa.
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Ghana took the lead just before half-time through Sulley Muntari, with Diego Forlan equalizing with a free-kick 10 minutes after the break. The two sides couldn’t be separated, leading to the game heading into extra-time, where all the drama unfolded.
A penalty shootout loomed until the dying moments, when Ghana launched one final attack, and with Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera beaten, Suarez stretched out his hands to block Dominic Adiyiah’s shot on the goal line.
The striker, then an Ajax player and still a few months away from joining Liverpool, was sent off as Ghana was handed the chance to win the game from the penalty spot. Suarez watched on from the tunnel as Asamoah Gyan stepped up, before skying his penalty over the bar.
TOPSHOT - Uruguay's goalkeeper Fernando Muslera (C) eyes Uruguay's striker Luis Suarez (3rdR) touching the ball during the 2010 World Cup quarter final Uruguay vs Ghana on July 2, 2010 at Soccer City stadium in Soweto, suburb of Johannesburg. NO PUSH TO MOBILE / MOBILE USE SOLELY WITHIN EDITORIAL ARTICLE - AFP PHOTO / YASUYOSHI CHIBA (Photo by YASUYOSHI CHIBA / AFP via Getty Images)
Luis Suarez handles the ball on the goal line to deny Ghana's Dominic Adiyiah(Image: Getty Images)
The sight of Suarez celebrating wildly as he made his way down the tunnel has only added to his reputation among many as such a controversial figure in the world of soccer. Ultimately, his gamble paid off, with Uruguay going on to reach the semi-finals after winning the penalty shootout.
Compared to his other controversies though, this is much more divisive. Many painted Suarez as the villain for his handball, but back at home, he was seen as a hero. In fact, when Uruguay met Ghana again at the 2022 Word Cup in Qatar, fans were seen holding up a cardboard cutout of Suarez in the act of the infamous moment.
Asked about the handball ahead of that second meeting, Suarez refused to apologize for his actions. "I don't apologize about that, I did the handball, but the Ghana player missed the penalty, not me,” he said.
Uruguay fans with a cardboard cutout of Luis Suarez commiting handball against Ghana in the 2010 World Cup before the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group H match between Ghana and Uruguay at Al Janoub Stadium on December 2nd 2022 in Al Wakrah, Qatar. (Photo by Tom Jenkins/Getty Images)
Uruguay fans hold up a cardboard cutout of Luis Suarez's handball ahead of their 2022 meeting with Ghana(Image: Getty Images)
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"I could apologise if I injured a player with a tackle and got a red card, but in this situation I take a red card and the referee says penalty.
"It's not my fault, I didn't miss the penalty. The player who missed the penalty said he would do the same [as I did] in that situation. It's not my responsibility in this situation," he added.
There will be no Suarez at this summer’s World Cup, with the 39-year-old having retired from international football in 2024. He did so having become his country’s all-time leading goalscorer, and he is regarded as a hero back in Uruguay. It’s quite the same elsewhere in the world, especially if you’re from Ghana.