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With fewer than 40 days remaining before the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins, Luis Suárez has made an eleventh-hour appeal to be added to the squad.
The 39-year-old forward, Uruguay's record goalscorer with 69 goals across 143 caps, represented La Celeste for 17 years—appearing in four consecutive World Cups (2010, 2014, 2018, 2022)—before announcing his international retirement in September 2024, a decision he has since come to regret.
"I wanted to get the call-up," the Inter Miami star told reporters in Spanish on Wednesday.
"Obviously, being Uruguayan, I could never turn my back on the national team," he continued. "I stepped away at the time because I felt it was right to give the younger players their chance ... As I've always said, I would never say no to the national team if they needed me—especially with a World Cup right on the doorstep."
This is the second time in recent weeks Suárez has pushed for a World Cup recall, having made his desire to revisit the matter clear the previous month.
Would Uruguay Actually Roster Suárez?
Suárez has not featured for Uruguay since September 2024, when he played in a scoreless draw against Paraguay.
"I'm 37 years old and it would be very difficult for me to make it to the next World Cup, given how many talented young players are coming through," Suárez said at the time of his retirement. "Being able to step away from international football on my own terms, rather than being forced out by injury, means a great deal to me."
It comes as little surprise that Suárez is eager to turn back the clock, particularly given his recent club form and fitness levels, and it's not out of the question that Uruguay head coach Marcelo Bielsa could grant him that opportunity.
Suárez contributed 10 goals and 11 assists last season as a regular starter for Inter Miami, but began the 2026 campaign on the bench following the $15 million arrival of Germán Berterame. However, as Berterame found it difficult to settle, Suárez stepped up once again, reaffirming his importance to the Herons' setup.
The veteran striker has registered two goals and two assists in 303 minutes of MLS action, recording a goal contribution every 75 minutes on average. He has since reclaimed his place in the starting eleven, emerging as a preferred option for interim head coach Guillermo Hoyos, who stepped in following Javier Mascherano's abrupt exit last month.
Suárez also boasts an impressive track record on football's biggest stage, and the experience and leadership he would bring to Uruguay's relatively inexperienced World Cup roster should not be taken lightly.
He has scored seven goals in World Cup competition, including a brace against South Korea in the round of 16 at the 2010 South Africa tournament that single-handedly propelled Uruguay into the quarterfinals. In the following match, he famously handled the ball on the goal line to deny Ghana a late winner, helping La Celeste advance to the semifinals.
Uruguay has also struggled to identify a reliable striker in Suárez's absence. Across 17 international matches without him, Bielsa has rotated primarily between Darwin Núñez, Rodrigo Aguirre, Federico Viñas, and Luciano Rodríguez, with none managing to replicate the level of output Suárez consistently delivered throughout his international career.