Luis Suarez, a striker for Uruguay, declared his retirement from international competition on Monday, ending a 17-year career as the team’s best scorer with 69 goals.
The 37-year-old earned 142 caps for his country and made his international debut in 2007. He played a significant role in the team’s advancement to the 2010 World Cup semifinals and their victory in the Copa America the following year.
Luis Suarez’s Emotional Farewell
“This Friday will be my final game with my nation’s national team,” an emotional Suarez announced during a press conference.
The fact that I choose to retire, and not because injuries forced me out or they stopped calling me for some reason, gives me a lot of comfort and helps me individually.
It’s difficult, but it gives me peace of mind knowing that I gave my best until the final game, and that flame hasn’t been put out little by little, the striker added.
Upcoming Matches for Uruguay
Uruguay will face Paraguay at Montevideo’s Centenario Stadium on Friday in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, followed by Venezuela four days later.
Luis Suarez Final Contributions and Future Plans
Suarez scored a stoppage-time goal against Canada in July to earn third place at the Copa America, and the striker stated that one of his goals was to demonstrate that he could continue to contribute to the national team.
My dream was for my kids to witness me and the national team win a significant trophy. He remarked that although it wasn’t a trophy they could take home, that final goal was quite nice for them.
I wanted to show people that I could still contribute to the national team, and, well, I had the Copa America, and sure, I could have retired nicely after that. Still, after analyzing the situation, I want to do it with my people, in my stadium.
“I want my kids to have this experience. I don’t think many people have said farewell to the individuals here.”
Suarez’s Next Chapter with Inter Miami
Suarez has already stated that Inter Miami will be his final club after joining the Major League Soccer side last year to reunite with former Barcelona colleagues Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba.
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