Luis Suarez announces retirement from international football

Legendary Uruguayan football player Luis Suarez has announced his retirement from the game, after an incredible career that saw him become the nation’s all-time leading scorer. During a news conference on Monday, September 2, Suárez made his announcement. He said he will retire following Uruguay’s September 6 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Paraguay.

Suárez, who has scored 69 goals in 142 appearances over 17 years, will end his international career as Uruguay’s most prolific goal scorer. On February 8, 2007, Suárez made his Uruguayan senior debut in a 3-1 victory over Colombia. He immediately established himself as an essential member of the team and helped Uruguay qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He had already solidified his spot on the squad by then, having played in 19 of the 20 World Cup qualifying games.

An Emotional moment for Urgway Football Fans

Knowing when to retire is the best way to feel good about yourself, and fortunately, I am certain that I am leaving the national team because I want to take a step back.Being 37 years old, I am aware of how challenging it will be to qualify for the next World Cup. “I find great solace in the fact that I can retire, rather than having my injuries prevent me from retiring or from being called up,” Suarez stated during the news conference.

🥺 “𝐌𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐨 𝐪𝐮𝐞 𝐢𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧 𝐞𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧̃𝐨 𝐪𝐮𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐨 𝐝𝐞 𝐥𝐚 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞”

Luis Suárez jugará el viernes su último partido con la camiseta de la Selección.

📺 https://t.co/qVMBrYJR1J #ElEquipoQueNosUne pic.twitter.com/QC6g4kAlAx
— Selección Uruguaya (@Uruguay) September 3, 2024

To be ready to stand away when I feel ready is incredibly useful to me personally. It’s challenging since it wasn’t an easy choice. However, I leave with the assurance that I gave it everything I had until the very last game, and that the flame did not die out gradually, which is why I decided that this was the right time,” Suarez continued.

A very memorable occasion in Suárez’s international career occurred in the World Cup semifinal matchup with Ghana in 2010. Suárez made a historic handball on the goal line in the last seconds of the match, which stopped Ghana from scoring the game-winning goal. Asamoah Gyan of Ghana missed the chance that followed despite receiving a red card, and Uruguay won the game in a thrilling penalty shootout to go to the quarterfinals.

In Uruguay’s most recent game, a Copa América third-place match against Canada in 2024, Suárez scored a penalty in the shootout to help his team win.

Playing in Major League Soccer (MLS) with Inter Miami CF with his longtime buddy Lionel Messi, Suárez will now concentrate only on his club career, leaving behind an incredible international legacy.