Sofia Quijada
Luis Suarez has made clear he would not turn down a recall to the Uruguay national team if asked, with the 2026 FIFA World Cup now weeks away. The statement marks a significant shift from the 39-year-old striker, who removed himself from international consideration back in September 2024 after publicly criticising head coach Marcelo Bielsa for what he described as having “divided the whole group.”
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Suarez spoke to reporters, as quoted by Spain’s EFE news agency, ending a 19-month absence from international football with a direct statement:
“I would never say no to the national team if they need me, especially with a World Cup coming up. At the time, I stepped aside to make way for the younger generation. I said something I shouldn’t have said. I have already apologised to those I needed to apologise to.”
Uruguay‘s all-time leading goalscorer, Suarez holds 69 international goals across 143 appearances for La Celeste. A former Barcelona and Liverpool forward, he has appeared at four World Cups since 2010 and remains one of the most decorated forwards in South American football history.
His tournament record carries weight and controversy in equal measure. He stopped a certain Ghana goal with a deliberate handball in the quarter-final of the 2010 tournament in South Africa, and received a four-month ban for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Now playing for Major League Soccer side Inter Miami, Suarez says the competitive drive has not left him.
“You realise you still have a little bit of life left in you. You get the urge to keep competing. You can see it on the pitch when you still get angry about the losses and the bad passes, and you still enjoy it when you score goals.”
The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico, runs from 11 June to 19 July. Uruguay qualified in fourth place from South American qualification and open Group H against Saudi Arabia in Miami on 15 June, with further fixtures against Cape Verde and Spain.
For Bielsa, 70, this will be a third World Cup as a head coach, having previously led Argentina in 2002 and Chile in 2010. Whether Suarez features in his plans remains to be seen, but the striker’s public gesture removes any barrier on his side. Follow TipsGG for full coverage, match previews, and betting tips as the 2026 World Cup approaches.