Messi took to Instagram to share a touching post dedicated to his longtime teammate and close friend, Suarez. The post featured a poignant image of the two football legends, each donned in their national kits - Messi for Argentina and Suarez for Uruguay - sharing an embrace after a match.
Suarez, who played for Liverpool between 2011 to 2014 , boasts a remarkable 17-year international career, during which he became Uruguay's all-time leading goal scorer with a tally of 69 goals. Alongside the image on his Instagram story, Messi penned a heartfelt message that reads: "You're unique, Luis Suarez. On and off the court. I love you so much."
Uruguay's legendary striker, now 37, officially hung up his international boots on Monday. An emotional Suarez, with tears in his eyes, announced his retirement after making 142 appearances for Uruguay.
"I leave with the peace of mind that I gave everything for the national team until Friday. I have no regrets. 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, reports the Mirror .
"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. It is very helpful to want to take that step aside and feel ready. 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."
Suarez's career highlights include leading Uruguay to Copa America glory in 2011, where he opened the scoring against Paraguay and ultimately claimed the Player of the Tournament accolade. His World Cup journey with Uruguay spanned four tournaments, including a memorable run to the semi-finals in 2010, where they were narrowly defeated by the Netherlands. Suarez of course did not feature in the game against the Netherlands after having been sent off against Ghana in the quarter-finals for a handball clearance off the line.
Now, turning his full attention to club football, Suarez is making waves at Inter Miami, currently tied for second among the league's top scorers. His recent form has been impressive, netting two goals in each of his last outings, contributing to victories over Chicago and Cincinnati. The partnership between Messi and Suarez, which flourished at Barcelona with an astonishing 406 goals in 258 games, continues to thrive as they share the pitch once again in Miami.
Liverpool.com says: "While his time at Liverpool was not without controversy, Suarez's performances on the pitch for the Reds was nothing short of spectacular."
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