Inter Miami striker, Luis Suarez, has announced his retirement from the Uruguay national team.
Suarez disclosed this in a news conference Monday, saying he will step away from international duty after his team’s FIFA World Cup qualifier against Paraguay on Friday.
The former Liverpool and Barcelona forward departs as Uruguay’s all-time leading scorer with 69 goals in 142 games across 17 years.
“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.
“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,” an emotional Suarez said.
Suarez made his senior debut for Uruguay in February, 2007, in a 3-1 victory against Colombia.