Uruguay and Inter Miami striker Luis Suarez has announced his retirement from international football at the age of 37. Fighting back tears, Suarez revealed that his final match for Uruguay will be the 2026 World Cup qualifier against Paraguay on Friday.

"I’ve thought long and hard about this, and I believe the time is right," Suarez said on Monday. "I want to enjoy my last game with the national team, just as I did when I first played in 2007. That 19-year-old kid is now an experienced veteran with a rich history with the team, and I'll give everything I have on Friday."

Suarez, Uruguay’s all-time top scorer with 69 goals in 142 appearances, has had a remarkable 14-year international career. The former Liverpool, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid striker last represented his country in the 2024 Copa America, where he scored a dramatic equalizer in the third-place match against Canada and helped Uruguay secure the bronze medal.

Suarez featured in nine major tournaments for Uruguay and was a key player in their 2011 Copa America victory, scoring four goals, including crucial strikes in the semi-final and final, and earning the Player of the Tournament award.

He made his senior debut for Uruguay in February 2007 against Colombia, though he was sent off after receiving two yellow cards. Suarez played in his first World Cup in 2010, scoring three goals, including a memorable brace in the round of 16 against South Korea. He also infamously blocked a goal-bound shot with his hand in the quarter-final against Ghana, leading to a missed penalty by Asamoah Gyan, and Uruguay advanced to the semi-finals for the first time since 1970.