Luis Suárez announced his retirement from the Uruguay national team during a news conference today. He will conclude his international career following the World Cup qualifier match against Paraguay scheduled for Friday. The former Liverpool and Barcelona forward, who currently plays for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer (MLS), leaves as Uruguay’s all-time top scorer with 69 goals over 142 matches across a 17-year span.
Reflecting on his decision, a visibly emotional Suárez expressed, “There is no greater pride than knowing when it’s the right moment to retire. I am confident in my choice to step aside.” At 37, he acknowledged the challenges of making the next World Cup and felt reassured in retiring on his own terms rather than through injuries or exclusion from the national squad.
Suárez debuted for Uruguay on February 8, 2007, in a match against Colombia and quickly became a key player. He played a significant role in the 2010 World Cup, where he was involved in a controversial moment during the quarterfinal against Ghana—committing a handball that led to a missed penalty. Despite this, Uruguay progressed in the tournament, and Suárez has since stood by his actions, referring to them as “the best save of the tournament.”
Over his international career, Suárez participated in four World Cups—2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022—and several Copa América tournaments, notably scoring in the final against Paraguay in 2011, which contributed to Uruguay’s 15th major title. He described the 2011 Copa América victory as the highlight of his professional career and expressed his deep affection for that title.
His last appearance for Uruguay was in the 2024 Copa América, where he played a critical role in their victory over Canada during the third-place shootout. Since joining Inter Miami, alongside stars like Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets, Suárez has excelled, recently scoring twice in a 4-1 triumph over Chicago Fire FC, bringing his season total to 16 goals.