Suarez Retires From International Football

Uruguay striker Luis Suarez has announced his retirement from international football.

The 37-year-old fought back tears as he revealed that the World Cup qualifier against Paraguay on Saturday will be his last appearance for his country.

The former Liverpool and Barcelona forward is Uruguay’s all-time leading scorer with 69 goals in 142 appearances, having made his debut against Colombia in February 2007.

Suarez confirmed the decision in a statement on Tuesday.

He said “I’ve 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.”

Suarez represented Uruguay in nine major international tournaments.

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 scored twice to help Uruguay beat England in the group stages but missed the knockout stages after receiving a four-month ban for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini in his side’s final group game.

Suarez Retires From International Football is first published on The Whistler Newspaper