Uruguay's star Suarez to retire from international duty after Friday

Star striker Luis Suarez of Uruguay will retire from the national team after Friday's 2026 FIFA World Cup South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) qualifier against Paraguay, the 37-year-old announced on Monday.

"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," Suarez said at a press conference. "I am 37 years old and I know that it is very difficult to get to the next World Cup. It comforts me a lot that I can retire and not for my injuries to retire me, or to stop being called up."

Having made his international debut in 2007, Suarez has scored a record 69 goals and delivered 39 assists for Uruguay in 142 games. He participated in four World Cups, three of which the team advanced to the knockout stage, including a semifinal in 2010 in South Africa.

Suarez has also played for Uruguay in four Copa America tournaments, helping his side advance to the quarterfinals twice, semifinals once and final once when they beat Paraguay to win the title.

"For me individually, it is very helpful for me to want to take that step aside and feel ready," Suarez said. "It is difficult because the decision was not easy. But I go with the peace of mind that until the last game I gave my all, and that the flame did not burn out slowly and that is why I made the decision that it should be now."

At the club level, Suarez played for multiple European heavyweights including Liverpool, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, winning five La Liga championships and one UEFA Champions League title, among other honors. He currently plays for Inter Miami in North America's Major League Soccer.

"I was lucky to win many titles in my career, but I would not change the Copa América title for anything in the world," Suarez added. "That Copa America trophy in 2011 was the most beautiful moment I experienced in my career as a professional player. I would not change it for anything and look, I won a lot of other things."