Friday will be Uruguayan striker Luis Suárez's final game with the team.
During the World Cup qualifying match against Paraguay at Centenario Stadium, Suárez made an emotional announcement about his decision to terminate his 17-year international career.
At a news conference on Monday, Suárez said with tears in his eyes that Friday would be his last game for the national team. He acknowledged the existence of many outstanding players and the difficulties of qualifying for the next World Cup when he revealed that he is retiring because he wants to move away at the age of 37.
He stated a desire to say farewell in front of his own people, thinking that now is the right time and that he finds comfort in retiring on his own terms rather than as a result of injury or not being picked.
With 69 goals in 142 games since his debut in 2007, Suárez is Uruguay's all-time top scorer.
Four World Cups and five Copa América were played by him. In the 2011 Copa, he was awarded player of the tournament after helping the squad win the championship with two goals in the semifinals and the game-winning goal in the final.
He said that he wants to play his final game for the national team with a sense of relaxation, despite the fact that it is extremely difficult. He said that he will be equally thrilled as he was when he made his debut for the national team in 2007 at the age of 19. As a seasoned player with a lengthy tenure with the organization, he now pledged to give it his best for them on Friday.
In the 2010 World Cup quarterfinals, Suárez's actions near the goal line prevented Ghana from securing a victory during extra time, resulting in his ejection. Uruguay, on the other hand, capitalized on a penalty shootout, securing advancement to the semifinals for the first time in four decades. It should be noted that Ghana missed their subsequent penalty kick in this crucial moment.
Suárez received both praise and criticism in the 2014 World Cup for an incident involving the biting of Chiellini. It should be noted that he has been involved in three separate biting incidents. As a consequence, FIFA imposed a nine-game ban on him, which is the longest punishment ever given in World Cup history. Consequently, he was unable to participate in the remaining matches of the tournament and was also absent from the 2015 Copa America.
He reached 100 caps at the 2018 World Cup and was awarded the man of the match twice during their journey to the quarterfinals. However, in 2022, Uruguay was unable to progress beyond their group.
Suárez is likely to stay at Inter Miami, as he has openly stated his desire to finish his professional career there. He has enjoyed considerable success at prestigious clubs including Barcelona, Liverpool, Ajax, and Atletico Madrid throughout his career.