'It is the right time' - Former Liverpool star announces Uruguay retirement as Darwin Nunez era begins

Luis Suarez has announced his retirement from international football which has opened the door for Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez to become a key leader.

After 17 years, 69 goals and 142 appearances, the former Liverpool and Barcelona striker has retired from international action. A Copa America triumph in 2011 was an incredible achievement and he is the country’s leading scorer with 69 goals in 142 games. "I’ve been thinking about this and analysing this. I believe this is the right time," said Suarez.

"I want to be relaxed when I play my last game with the national team. I'll be just as excited to play as I was in 2007 when I played for my national team for the first time. That 19-year old kid is now a veteran player, an older player - however you want to call it - with an incredible history with the national team, that will give his life for the team."

The future is now for Nunez

“Today he is one of the best centre forwards in the world,” Suarez told AUF TV, quoted by ESPN. Nunez has already had the backing from Suarez in the past to succeed and with the era of Suarez and Edinson Cavani now over, he is the heir to the throne as it stands.

While his club career has stuttered across his time at Liverpool, he has still managed 33 goals in two seasons plus 17 assists. It’s unclear how he’ll work in the new Arne Slot system but he has to overcome Diogo Jota who has been the first-choice striker so far.

Yet, at international level, he is the main man. 13 goals in 29 games is very impressive so far and if he carried on at the same rate, he would only just surpass Suarez’s figures. However, the majority of those goals have come since October 2023. A brilliant run of 10 goals in seven games saw him become a worshipped figure under Marcelo Bielsa and it’s clear he thrives in the chaos of international football on his home continent.

Can he lead Uruguay to success?

The Copa America was a great chance to prove he could lead his side to trophy success and he started well with goals in both of their opening games. He then drew a blank in the narrow win over the USA, was taken off before the penalty shootout against Brazil and had four shots off target in the semi-final defeat against Colombia.

When it mattered, he did go missing and the 25-year-old has experienced his fair share of that at Liverpool. Being asked to replace two titanic figures such as Cavani and Suarez is nigh-on impossible but he stands as their best striking option at the current time and he will have to improve if he wants to succeed with his country. His early signs have been positive but it’s almost unfair that he will draw comparisons to his predecessors who were two of the past decade’s most potent forwards.

The World Cup in 2026 will be a huge test of his credentials but there’s no telling where he’ll be at that point or what stage of his development he will be at. Uruguay are a developing team with some strong individuals and future success will certainly depend on whether he can score the goals to carry them to historic wins in the era after Suarez and Cavani.