Luis Suarez has announced his intentions to quit international football this year.
The former Liverpool and Barcelona star player who was speaking ahead of Uruguay’s World Cup qualifier against Paraguay on Friday, noted that that game will be his last for his country.
Suarez, in his 17 years of playing for Uruguay scored 69 goals from 142 games in a prolific international career. Suarez said there is “no better pride” than deciding to step aside by choice. “It comforts me a lot that I can retire and not for my injuries to retire me,” he said.
‘It is the right time’ – Uruguay’s top goal-scorer Suarez announces international retirement
“Friday will be my last match with my country’s national team,” an emotional Suarez revealed in a press conference on Monday.
“There is no better pride in oneself than knowing when the right moment to retire is. Luckily, I am confident that I am retiring from the national team because I want to take a step aside.
“I am 37 years old and I know that it is very difficult to get to the next World Cup. It comforts me a lot that I can retire and not for my injuries to retire me, or to stop being called up.
“For me individually, it is very helpful for me to want to take that step aside and feel ready. It is difficult because the decision was not easy.
“But I go with the peace of mind that until the last game, I gave my all, and that the flame did not burn out slowly and that is why I made the decision that it should be now.”
He made his Uruguay debut under manager Oscar Tabarez in 2007, with Friday’s match set to be his 143rd and final game.
Despite Suarez’s illustrious trophy haul in club football, which includes five La Liga titles and UEFA Champions League success in 2015 amongst many more, there is one which means the most to him.
“I was lucky to win many titles in my career, but I would not change the Copa America title for anything in the world,” Suarez said, who scored and assisted in the 2011 Copa America final as Uruguay beat Paraguay 3-0 for the country’s fourth title.
“That Copa America trophy in 2011 was the most beautiful moment I experienced in my career as a professional player.
“I would not change it for anything and look, I won a lot of other things.”
