Uruguayan football icon Luis Suarez has announced his retirement from international football at the age of 37, with his last match scheduled against Paraguay.
Uruguay icon Luis Suarez has announced his retirement from international football at the age of 37. The former Liverpool striker confirmed that he will play his final match for his country on Friday against Paraguay in Montevideo.
“Friday will be my last match for my country,” an emotional Suarez told a press conference. “It was not an easy decision to make, but I do it with the peace of mind that I will give my maximum until the very last game of my (Uruguay) career.”
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Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation, Suarez will retire as Uruguay’s top scorer, having netted 69 goals in 142 appearances since making his debut against Colombia in February 2007.
Suarez played in nine major international tournaments for Uruguay. His last appearance came in the 2024 Copa America third-place play-off against Canada, where he scored a 92nd-minute equaliser and converted his penalty in the shootout, helping Uruguay secure third place.
Throughout his international career, Suarez was part of the 2011 Copa America-winning side, scoring four goals, including twice in the semi-finals and once in the final. He was named Player of the Tournament as Uruguay lifted the trophy for the 15th time and the first since 1995.
Suarez made his senior Uruguay debut in 2007 and first competed in the World Cup in 2010, scoring three goals in six appearances. He infamously received a nine-game ban from international football after biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during the 2014 World Cup, which ruled him out of the remainder of that tournament and the 2015 Copa America.
As he prepares to hang up his boots, Suarez leaves behind a legacy as one of Uruguay’s all-time greats.
Oreoluwa is an accountant and a brand writer with a flair for journalism.
