Luis Suarez announces his retirement from international football

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Former Barcelona and Liverpool player Luis Suarez announced his retirement from international football in an emotional video which was released on Tuesday, September 3, 2024.

The forward player confirmed that Uruguay's World Cup qualifier against Paraguay on Saturday, September 7, 2024, will be his last appearance for his country. Luis Suarez is Uruguay's all-time leading scorer with 69 goals in 142 appearances, having made his debut against Colombia in February 2007.

What did Luis Suarez say about his retirement?

"I have been thinking about this and analysing this. I believe this is the right time. 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."

Luis Suarez's major highlight in his career with Uruguay was the game against Ghana at the South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup when he was sent off for stopping a ball with his hand, which was headed for the back of the net. Asamoah Gyan missed the subsequent spot-kick and Uruguay won the resulting penalty shootout to reach the World Cup semi-finals for the first time in 40 years.

In 2011, Suarez led Uruguay to victory in the Copa America in Argentina, finishing as the tournament's second-top scorer with four goals.

At the 2014 World Cup, he was issued a fourth-month ban for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini in his side's final group game. Suarez was also handed a nine-game international ban and missed the 2015 Copa America. He went on to play at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, while he appeared in five editions of the Copa America.

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