MONTEVIDEO: Uruguay icon Luis Suarez announced his retirement from international football on Monday, confirming that he will hang up his boots following Friday’s 2026 World Cup qualifier against Paraguay in Montevideo.
“Friday will be my last match for my country,” an emotional Suarez, 37, 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.”
The former Barcelona and Liverpool striker is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation and will retire from international football as Uruguay’s top scorer with 69 goals from 142 appearances.
Suarez, who was infamously kicked out of the 2014 World Cup after being handed a four-month ban for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini, made his debut for Uruguay in 2007.
The Inter Miami forward helped Uruguay capture the 2011 Copa America, where he was named player of the tournament, and would eventually represent the South American country in nine major tournaments.
Suarez said Monday that inspiring Uruguay to that Copa crown had been the highpoint of his career.
“I wouldn’t trade the Copa America title for anything,” he said. “It was the best moment of my career. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
A dynamic, skilful attacker with a lethal eye for goal, Suarez was also never far from controversy.
As well as the biting incident that ended his involvemment in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, he was also one of the villains of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, when his cynical handball on the goal-line denied Ghana what would have been a late winner in the quarter-finals.
Suarez was sent off for that offense and Ghana subsequently missed the ensuing penalty, allowing Uruguay to sneak into the semifinals after a penalty shoot-out.
Controversy also dogged Suarez throughout his club career, notably in 2011 when he was handed an eight-game ban by authorities in England for allegedly racially abusing Manchester United’s France star Patrice Evra.
Suarez would later help Uruguay qualify for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, and also featured in this summer’s Copa America where he was used largely as a substitute by coach Marcelo Bielsa. He scored his 69th international goal in a third place play-off victory over Canada.
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Uruguay star Luis Suarez announces retirement from international football
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Uruguay star Luis Suarez announces retirement from international football
- “Friday will be my last match for my country,” an emotional Suarez, 37, told a press conference
Liverpool boss Slot to meet Salah amid tension
- The Dutchman moved to calm speculation over Salah’s future after the Egyptian’s fiery criticism of the club
- Salah, nicknamed ‘The Egyptian King,’ has endured a turbulent campaign following an extraordinary 2024-25 season
Arne Slot said he has no reason to want Mohamed Salah to leave Liverpool as he prepared for a face-to-face meeting with the forward on Friday to decide his involvement in Saturday’s Premier League match against Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Dutchman moved to calm speculation over Salah’s future after the Egyptian’s fiery criticism of the club following last weekend’s 3-3 draw with Leeds United, sparking questions about his future at the Merseyside club, who are languishing in 10th place with 23 points from 15 matches, a stark contrast to last year’s title-winning campaign.
Salah was left out of the team that traveled to Italy for their 1-0 Champions League victory over Inter Milan on Tuesday.
“I will have a conversation with Mo this morning, the outcome of that conversation determines how things will look tomorrow,” Slot told reporters on Friday.
When asked if he wanted Salah to stay at the club, Slot said: “I have no reasons to not want him to stay.”
Pressed on Salah’s status, Slot refused to offer any guarantees.
“I think the next time I speak about Mo should be with him and not in here. You can keep on trying but there is not much more to say about it,” he said. “After the Sunderland game there were a lot of conversations between his representatives and ours, between him and me.”
Isak doubt
The decision to leave Salah at home for the trip to Milan was a club decision, Slot said.
“I am always in contact with them (sporting director Richard Hughes and chief executive of football Michael Edwards) but when it comes to the decision making of the line-up or the squad, they leave that open to me. That’s not to say I don’t talk to them. Mainly Richard, not Michael. The decision to play a player or have them in the squad is entirely up to me.”
There is a question mark over Alexander Isak’s status for Saturday with Slot saying the forward picked up a knock in the first half against Inter Milan, and that he will be evaluated on Friday before they decide whether or not he can start.
Slot is pleased with how Isak and Hugo Ekitike have played together, saying their partnership will continue to improve.
“The more they play together, the more they will adapt to each other and the better they will cooperate,” Slot said. “I saw promising things from the both of them, it’s only the second time they’ve played together. We will see more of them playing together in the future.”
Slot will have Federico Chiesa available on Saturday after he recovered from illness, while Wataru Endo and Cody Gakpo are expected to be out for a “few weeks.”
Salah, nicknamed “The Egyptian King,” has endured a turbulent campaign following an extraordinary 2024-25 season. He is set to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations on Monday, leaving Liverpool to attempt to extend their four-game unbeaten run across all competitions while silencing the off-field turmoil.
Whether he returns to Anfield afterwards remains uncertain, with Salah hinting that his Liverpool chapter may be drawing to a close.
The Dutchman moved to calm speculation over Salah’s future after the Egyptian’s fiery criticism of the club following last weekend’s 3-3 draw with Leeds United, sparking questions about his future at the Merseyside club, who are languishing in 10th place with 23 points from 15 matches, a stark contrast to last year’s title-winning campaign.
Salah was left out of the team that traveled to Italy for their 1-0 Champions League victory over Inter Milan on Tuesday.
“I will have a conversation with Mo this morning, the outcome of that conversation determines how things will look tomorrow,” Slot told reporters on Friday.
When asked if he wanted Salah to stay at the club, Slot said: “I have no reasons to not want him to stay.”
Pressed on Salah’s status, Slot refused to offer any guarantees.
“I think the next time I speak about Mo should be with him and not in here. You can keep on trying but there is not much more to say about it,” he said. “After the Sunderland game there were a lot of conversations between his representatives and ours, between him and me.”
Isak doubt
The decision to leave Salah at home for the trip to Milan was a club decision, Slot said.
“I am always in contact with them (sporting director Richard Hughes and chief executive of football Michael Edwards) but when it comes to the decision making of the line-up or the squad, they leave that open to me. That’s not to say I don’t talk to them. Mainly Richard, not Michael. The decision to play a player or have them in the squad is entirely up to me.”
There is a question mark over Alexander Isak’s status for Saturday with Slot saying the forward picked up a knock in the first half against Inter Milan, and that he will be evaluated on Friday before they decide whether or not he can start.
Slot is pleased with how Isak and Hugo Ekitike have played together, saying their partnership will continue to improve.
“The more they play together, the more they will adapt to each other and the better they will cooperate,” Slot said. “I saw promising things from the both of them, it’s only the second time they’ve played together. We will see more of them playing together in the future.”
Slot will have Federico Chiesa available on Saturday after he recovered from illness, while Wataru Endo and Cody Gakpo are expected to be out for a “few weeks.”
Salah, nicknamed “The Egyptian King,” has endured a turbulent campaign following an extraordinary 2024-25 season. He is set to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations on Monday, leaving Liverpool to attempt to extend their four-game unbeaten run across all competitions while silencing the off-field turmoil.
Whether he returns to Anfield afterwards remains uncertain, with Salah hinting that his Liverpool chapter may be drawing to a close.
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