Sport
Luis Suarez Retires from Uruguay National Team After 17 Years
Inter Miami forward Luis Suarez has officially announced his retirement from international football with Uruguay.
The 37-year-old striker revealed the news during a press conference on Monday, stating that he would step down from the national team after Uruguay’s upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifier against Paraguay on Friday.
Suarez leaves behind an illustrious legacy as Uruguay’s all-time top scorer, having netted 69 goals in 142 appearances over the course of a 17-year international career.
The former star of Liverpool and Barcelona expressed pride in his decision, emphasising the importance of knowing when to walk away on his own terms.
“There is no greater satisfaction than recognising the right moment to retire, and fortunately, I am at peace with my choice,” Suarez said. “I want to step aside from the national team now, while it’s my decision, not due to injury or because I’m no longer being called up.”
Suarez admitted that at 37, the prospect of competing in another World Cup would be challenging. He explained that his decision allows him to retire with dignity, rather than being forced out by physical limitations. The striker noted that he’s grateful for the opportunity to bow out on his own terms.
Suarez made his international debut for Uruguay back in February 2007, in a 3-1 win over Colombia. Since then, he has played a pivotal role in Uruguay’s successes, including their Copa América triumph in 2011, and has been a key figure in numerous World Cup campaigns.
His contributions to the national team will be remembered as some of the most significant in Uruguay’s football history.
Super Eagles defender Calvin Bassey has opened up about a difficult period in his career, revealing that he almost stepped away from football.
Speaking during a recent interview, Bassey shared that he once made a personal promise to himself to quit pursuing football professionally if he failed to secure a spot at a professional club.
“I remember being 15 and going into my final year, and I told myself that if I didn’t get into a professional club, I would quit football. It was that simple,” he said.
“I would just stop pursuing it seriously and only play for fun. Thank God I eventually got a club, because I honestly don’t know where I would be otherwise.”
It has been reported that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) fined Egypt $5,000 following their clash with Zimbabwe for failing to manage post-match media obligations.
It was noted that after the match, the Egyptian players ignored the media. This action was said to be a violation of CAF’s media regulations, which led to the fine being imposed.
Head of the Super Eagles, Eric Chelle, shared that the big-name players on the team are not happy about being benched.
He recalled when he took out Samuel Chukwueze during the match against Tanzania.
“Yes, of course, we’ve in this team a lot of big names. They are competitors; they aren’t happy when they go to the bench,” Chelle said at his post-match interview.”
“My job is to make choices, and we’re playing a 4-4-2 diamond, and at this moment I feel we have to protect the wing.”
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