Former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez announced his retirement from international football in 2024, with the then-37-year-old confirming that Uruguay’s World Cup qualifier against Paraguay would be his final appearance for his country.
Suarez is Uruguay’s all-time leading scorer with 69 goals in 142 appearances. He made his international debut in 2007 and played in nine major tournaments, including four World Cups and five Copa America editions.
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He famously handled the ball on the line against Ghana in the 2010 World Cup quarter-final, with Asamoah Gyan missing the resulting penalty before Uruguay won the shootout.
Suarez later led Uruguay to Copa America glory in 2011 and scored twice against England at the 2014 World Cup before receiving a four-month ban for biting Giorgio Chiellini.
At the 2024 tournament, Marcelo Bielsa largely used him as a substitute, with Suarez making four appearances and scoring once in the third-place play-off.
“I’ve been thinking about this and analysing this. I believe this is the right time,” said Suarez. “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.
“That 19-year old kid is now a veteran player, an older player – however you want to call it – with an incredible history with the national team, that will give his life for the team.”
“We did go through difficult moments. There were many,” Suarez said. “Personally, it was worse for me after my massive mistake in 2014. But there’s nothing that I would reproach.”
According to Cadena del Mar, new Uruguay boss Diego Forlan has left the door open for Suarez to return. The preliminary squad will be announced on September 6 ahead of a September 24 friendly against Japan, and Suarez could be included.
Luis Suarez became one of world football’s greatest players, thrilling Liverpool supporters during his three-and-a-half-year spell at Anfield.
The Uruguayan wore the famous No. 7 shirt and scored 31 Premier League goals in his final season before joining Barcelona. Suarez joined Liverpool from Ajax in 2011 for £22.7million.