"I'm enjoying it even more because the flame of football is dying out"

Uruguay striker Luis Suarez said Thursday that he enjoys "even more" the training camps with the 'Celeste' because he knows "that the flame of football is dying out" and stressed that he does not focus on the playing time he gets, but to contribute his bit.

"I'm really enjoying every moment. It's something that with the age I am, as you get older, you enjoy it even more because you know that the flame of football is dying out," he said in a meeting with the media at the Westin hotel in Las Vegas, where the Charrúa national team is training for its Copa America quarter-final against Brazil.

"I'm just another player, you've seen that. Playing or not playing, I'm happy with my part and trying to help in any way I can," insisted the 37-year-old striker.

He embraces his role as a leader and veteran with relish, noting that he too shared a dressing room with idols such as Forlan and 'El Loco' Sebastian Abreu when he began his international career in 2007. "I try to help as much as I can. I was in Darwin's (Nuneez) place and I was Darwin's age. El 'Loco' was the first to support me and today, being in that place, you have to be a motivation for him," Suarez said.

As for their clash against Brazil in the Copa America, Suarez said the quarter-final is "a great test" and acknowledged that Vinicius' suspension could weigh on the team.

"This group made a big impact in the qualifiers (for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers) by beating Brazil and Argentina. That power was earned by them on the pitch, showing that they can beat anyone. I don't think this match can mark an era. The time has come to prove it and it's a great test for us," he said.

He also acknowledged that, in his experience at Gremio in Brazil, he noticed that the 'Selecao' live with a lot of "psychological pressure" in his country and that this aspect can be crucial.

 

July 4, 2024