Luis Javier Suárez has put a Uruguay return back in play ahead of the World Cup, even after retiring from international football in September 2024. The 39-year-old says he wants to be involved again, which leaves Marcelo Bielsa with a clear selection question before Uruguay's opener against Saudi Arabia in Miami on 15 June. This is not just nostalgia either. Suárez is still producing and his international record is hard to dismiss.
What Suárez has actually said
Suárez has not been recalled, and there is no indication yet that Bielsa has approved anything. What has changed is that the player has publicly reopened the door.
Speaking to si.com, Luis Javier Suárez said: "I wanted to be called up." In a separate interview with bbc.co.uk, he added: "I would never say no to the national team if they need me, especially with a World Cup coming up."
That is the news here. A player who had stepped away is now openly available again.
There is also some context around how that exit is being framed. The brief notes that he retired from international football in September 2024 and has not played for Uruguay since then. A separate source describes the layoff differently, but both versions point to the same basic reality: Suárez has been out of the national team picture for a significant period and now wants back in.
He also addressed the way he left things. Speaking to bbc.co.uk, Suárez said: "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."
Why Bielsa still has a real decision to make
The easy version of this story is to reduce it to sentiment. The stronger case is built on numbers and on Uruguay's lack of a settled answer at centre-forward since Suárez stopped playing internationally.
In the 17 international matches without him, Bielsa has mainly used Darwin Núñez, Rodrigo Aguirre, Federico Viñas and Luciano Rodríguez at no. 9. That does not prove Luis Javier Suárez should return, but it does show this is still an open selection issue rather than a closed chapter.
Suárez's standing is obvious enough. He remains Uruguay's all-time leading scorer with 69 goals in 143 appearances. He also has seven World Cup goals across his career, which matters more in this conversation than generic reputation. When a squad is heading into a tournament, proven production on that stage carries weight.
There is current output too. The brief states that Suárez has two goals and two assists in 303 minutes of MLS play this season, averaging a goal contribution every 75 minutes. For a 39-year-old asking for one more shot, that is a useful argument. It does not guarantee anything, but it makes the recall case more serious than a farewell cameo.
Experience is the appeal, but June is the test
The strongest argument for bringing Suárez back is simple: if Bielsa wants tournament experience and a striker who understands pressure games for Uruguay, there is no stronger résumé in this pool based on the brief. Suárez has scored seven times at World Cups, including the brace against Korea Republic in the 2010 South Africa round of 16 that sent Uruguay into the quarter-finals.
There is also no need to oversell it. Bielsa may still prefer continuity, energy and a younger squad profile. That is a valid selection call. But Suárez has done enough to turn this from a sentimental talking point into a genuine decision.
He has made his position clear, and the timing matters. Uruguay's first World Cup match is against Saudi Arabia in Miami on 15 June. If Bielsa wants Suárez involved, the debate will move quickly from possibility to squad selection.
FAQ
Will Luis Suárez return for Uruguay at the World Cup?
That has not been decided. Suárez has made clear he wants the chance, saying he wanted to be called up and would never say no if the national team need him. The decision sits with Marcelo Bielsa ahead of Uruguay’s first World Cup match against Saudi Arabia in Miami on 15 June.
Why is Luis Suárez being discussed again for the Uruguay squad?
The debate has reopened because Suárez says he is available again despite retiring from international football in September 2024 and not playing for Uruguay since then. His record still matters too: he is Uruguay’s all-time leading scorer with 69 goals in 143 appearances and has seven World Cup goals.
Is Luis Suárez still playing well enough to help Uruguay?
The brief makes a reasonable case that he still has something to offer. This MLS season he has two goals and two assists in 303 minutes, which works out at a goal contribution every 75 minutes. That does not guarantee a recall, but it keeps the conversation grounded in current output rather than pure nostalgia.
Who has Uruguay used up front since Suárez stopped playing internationally?
In the 17 international matches without Suárez, Marcelo Bielsa has mainly used Darwin Núñez, Rodrigo Aguirre, Federico Viñas and Luciano Rodríguez at no. 9. That matters because it suggests Uruguay have tried several options rather than locking down one clear long-term answer.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
