Tearful Suárez announces Uruguay retirement

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP):

STRIKER LUIS Suárez will play his last game for Uruguay on Friday.

Suárez was emotional as he announced he’s ending a 17-year international career after the World Cup qualifier against Paraguay at Centenario Stadium.

“It hurts to say it, but Friday will be my last match with my country’s national team,” Suárez said late Monday, unable to hold back tears at a press conference.

“I am retiring because I want to step aside. I am 37 years old, there are a lot of talented players, and I know it would be difficult to get to the next World Cup. It is comforting to know I can retire on my terms and not have to retire due to injuries, or to not being called up. I want to say goodbye here, with my people. This is the ideal moment.”

Suárez made his debut in 2007 and is Uruguay’s all-time leading scorer with 69 goals in 142 matches.

He played in four World Cups and five Copa América. He helped to lead the team to the title at the 2011 Copa, where he scored twice in the semifinals and the match-winner in the final and was named player of the tournament.

“It’s very difficult but I want to be relaxed when I play my last game with the national team,” he said.

“I will be just as excited as I was for my first national team appearance in 2007 when I was a 19-year-old kid. Now, I am a veteran, an older player, whatever you want to call it, with an incredible history with the national team and I will give my life for the team on Friday.”

In the 2010 World Cup quarterfinals, Suárez prevented Ghana from scoring an extra-time winner with his hand on the goal-line, and was red-carded. Ghana missed the resulting penalty kick, Uruguay won a penalty shootout and reached the semifinals for the first time in 40 years.

2014 World Cup

Suárez was hailed at home as a saviour, but he was scorned at the 2014 World Cup when he bit Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini in their last group game. It was the third of four times in his career he bit a player. FIFA banned Suarez for nine games, the longest ban in World Cup history, and he missed the rest of the tournament and the 2015 Copa América.

“My fear has always been that my lasting image for my children and all Uruguayan fans would be of 2014,” Suárez said.

“I have gotten past that. And I hope the people have also forgotten and they are left with all the great moments I lived in our stadium, with all the things our team accomplished, in Copa Américas, in World Cups.”

He reached 100 caps at the 2018 World Cup and was twice named man-of-the-match en route to the quarterfinals. But in 2022, Uruguay didn’t get out of their group.

Suárez will continue at Inter Miami, which he has previously said will be his last club. He’s also had a stellar career at clubs including Barcelona, Liverpool, Ajax, and Atlético Madrid.