Luis Suárez

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5 Mar 2024

Luis Suárez

Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz Spanish pronunciation born 24 January 1987 currently serves as a Uruguayan professional footballer specializing in the striker position for the Major League Soccer club Inter Miami and the Uruguay national team. Recognized by the moniker El Pistolero , he stands out as one of the eminent players of his era and is acclaimed as one of the greatest strikers in the history of football. Individually, Suárez boasts accolades such as two European Golden Shoes, an Eredivisie Golden Boot, a Premier League Golden Boot, and a Pichichi Trophy. His remarkable career includes surpassing the 500-goal milestone for both club and country.

Suárez initiated his senior club career with Nacional in 2005 and, at the age of 19, made a move to Groningen, subsequently transferring to Ajax in 2007. During his time with Ajax, he secured victories in the KNVB Cup and the Eredivisie. In 2011, Suárez joined Liverpool in the Premier League, securing the League Cup in his debut full season. Teaming up with Daniel Sturridge, he equaled the goalscoring record for a 38-game Premier League season and clinched his inaugural European Golden Shoe in 2014. Following this success, Suárez made a high-profile transfer to Barcelona in 2014, with the move amounting to £64.98 million €82.3 million adjusted for inflation, making him one of the sport's most expensive players.

As a key component of the MSN trio alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar, Suárez played a pivotal role in securing La Liga, Copa del Rey, and UEFA Champions League treble in his debut season with Barcelona. In his second season, he secured the Pichichi Trophy and his second European Golden Shoe, a feat accomplished by only Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo since 2009.

Notably, he topped La Liga in assists, achieving a historic milestone as the first player to lead in both goals and assists in league history. His tenure with Barcelona yielded ten additional trophies, including three La Liga titles and three Copas del Rey. In 2020, Suárez joined Atlético Madrid, claiming his fifth La Liga title in the second season with the club.
On the international stage, Suárez holds the title of Uruguay's all-time leading goalscorer and previously held the highest scorer position in CONMEBOL FIFA World Cup qualifiers until surpassed by teammate Lionel Messi.

His representation of Uruguay spans four FIFA World Cup editions, four Copa América editions, the 2012 Summer Olympics, and the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. Suárez has received accolades such as being named in the 2010 World Cup All-Star Team and winning the 2011 Copa América, where he was honored as the Best Player. Beyond his football achievements, Suárez has been a source of controversy throughout his career,involving incidents such as a goal-line handball against Ghana in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, three instances of biting opponents, accusations of diving, and racial controversies.

On 21 April 2013, in a Premier League match at Anfield, Suárez bit Branislav Ivanović during a 2–2 draw with Chelsea, marking the second time he had bitten an opponent. The incident went unnoticed by the officials, and Suárez managed to score an equalizer in injury time. The bite drew the attention of UK Prime Minister David Cameron, who urged the FA to take a firm stance against Suárez. As a result, the FA charged him with violent conduct, and his club fined him an undisclosed sum.[99] Despite Suárez's apology, Ivanović did not accept it.

Although Suárez admitted to the violent conduct charge, he contested the FA's assertion that the standard three-match punishment was insufficient for his offense. An independent three-man panel appointed by the FA imposed a ten-game ban on Suárez, who chose not to appeal. The panel criticized Suárez for not recognizing the severity of the incident and aimed to send a strong message that such deplorable behaviors do not have a place in football. They emphasized that players at the higher level should act as role models, behaving professionally and responsibly to set a positive example, particularly for young players.

On 31 May 2013, Suárez announced his intention to leave Liverpool in the summer, citing excessive media attention on his family as a motivating factor.After Liverpool rejected a £40,000,001 bid from Arsenal on 6 August, Suárez reiterated his desire to leave, claiming that Liverpool had promised him a transfer if they failed to qualify for the 2013–14 UEFA Champions League.Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers responded the next day, stating that Liverpool had not broken any promises and accusing Suárez of showing total disrespect for the club. Following this incident, the British press reported that Rodgers had instructed Suárez to train away from the Liverpool first-team squad. On 8 August, Liverpool owner John W. Henry declared that Suárez would not be allowed to leave the club.

On 11 July 2014, Suárez reached an agreement with Barcelona on a five-year contract for an undisclosed transfer fee. However, a leaked document by Football Leaks revealed that the fee was £64.98 million 82.3 million adjusted for inflation, establishing him as one of the most expensive players in the history of world football. Barcelona officially announced that Suárez would wear the number 9 shirt for the 2014–15 season.

Suárez faced a suspension at the start of the season due to his guilty verdict for biting Italian player Giorgio Chiellini during the 2014 FIFA World Cup. As part of the punishment, he was barred from all football-related activities, including training with Barcelona, for four months, lasting until 26 October. Additionally, he was prohibited from entering any stadium, even as a spectator, during this period. On 24 July, Suárez and his legal team lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport , seeking a reduction in sanctions or the lifting of the suspension.

The CAS held a hearing at its offices in Lausanne, Switzerland, on 8 August, and six days later, they affirmed FIFA's ban against Suárez. Despite the confirmation of the four-month football suspension and a nine-match ban in international competitions, the CAS lifted the prohibition on his football-related activities, permitting him to train with Barcelona. Due to this suspension, Suárez was ineligible to participate in the 2015 Copa América.

The CAS granted Suárez permission to feature in friendly matches, and he made his debut for Barcelona on 18 August against Club León of Mexico at the Camp Nou. He entered the game in the final 14 minutes, substituting Rafinha in a 6–0 victory during the Gamper Trophy. Notably, fellow forwards Lionel Messi and Neymar had already been substituted before Suárez took the field.