Luis Suárez announces retirement from Uruguay national team following World Cup qualifier

Luis Suárez has announced his retirement from international football, with his final appearance for Uruguay set to be in their World Cup qualifier against Paraguay on Friday. Suárez, now playing for Inter Miami in MLS, leaves the national team as Uruguay's all-time leading scorer, having netted 69 goals in 142 appearances over 17 years.

In a press conference on Monday, Suárez, 37, expressed his decision to retire, saying, "There is no better pride in oneself than knowing when the right moment to retire is, and luckily I am confident that I am retiring from the national team because I want to take a step aside." He added, "It comforts me a lot that I can retire and not for my injuries to retire me, or to stop being called up."

Suárez made his senior debut for Uruguay on February 8, 2007, against Colombia. He played a crucial role in Uruguay’s 2010 World Cup campaign, including a controversial handball in the quarterfinals against Ghana, which he defends as "the best save of the tournament."

The forward has competed in four World Cups (2010, 2014, 2018, 2022) and five Copa Américas (2011, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024). Suárez highlighted the 2011 Copa América win as the pinnacle of his career, stating, "I would not change the Copa América title for anything in the world."

Suárez’s most recent international appearance was in the 2024 Copa América third-place match, where he scored a penalty in the shootout.