Uruguayan football legend Luis Suarez has announced his retirement from international football. He is Uruguay’s all-time top scorer. Suarez revealed his decision during a press conference on Monday. Uruguay’s FIFA World Cup qualifier against Paraguay on September 6 will be his last international match.
Suarez has been one of Uruguay’s most prolific footballers. He has scored 69 goals in 142 matches in an international career spanning 17 years. Suarez made his international debut on February 8, 2007, in a 3-1 win over Colombia. He soon became an important part of the team.
With his and Diego Forlon’s help, Uruguay made it to the semi-finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. They lost to the Netherlands in the semi-finals. By then Suarez had become an important part of the team.
He said, ‘There is nothing better than knowing when is the right time to retire. Now that I am going to retire from international football, I am full of confidence. I now want to step away from the national team. I am 37 years old and I also know that it will be very difficult for me to play the next World Cup at this age. It gives me great relief that I am retiring of my own free will and injury did not play any role in it.
