One Last Ride? Luis Suarez Opens Door To Uruguay Return Ahead Of 2026 FIFA WC

Luis Suarez might not be done with Uruguay just yet.

More than 18 months after stepping away from international football, the legendary striker has revealed he would be open to returning for one final World Cup run if called upon by Uruguay manager Marcelo Bielsa.

The 39-year-old, Uruguay’s all-time leading scorer with 69 goals in 143 appearances, has not featured for La Celeste since September 2024. At the time, Suárez insisted it was “the right moment” to close the curtain on a glittering 17-year international career.

But just weeks after retiring, the former Barcelona and Liverpool forward publicly criticised Bielsa and the atmosphere within the national team setup, claiming tensions had been building behind the scenes.

Now, according to The

Athletic, the Inter Miami striker appears eager to turn the page.

“I would never say no to the national team if they need me, especially with a World Cup coming up,” Suarez said this week in comments carried by EFE.

“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.”

It marks a major softening in tone from the veteran striker, who now says he holds no resentment toward Bielsa and still feels capable of contributing at the highest level.

“I still have that adrenaline, that desire to keep playing,” Suarez explained. “You realise you still have a little bit of life left in you. You get the urge to keep competing.”

Suarez’s Legacy With Uruguay

Across four World Cups and nine major international tournaments, he helped lead the nation to Copa América glory in 2011, finishing as Player of the Tournament after scoring four goals.

Now playing in MLS with Inter Miami alongside Lionel Messi, Suarez has continued to show flashes of the sharp edge that made him one of the world’s most feared forwards.

And with Uruguay lacking an experienced attacking figure beyond Darwin Nunez, the possibility of one final comeback suddenly doesn’t feel impossible anymore.