Mention the name Luis Suarez and what springs to mind is talent, controversy and plenty of goals.
He sprung to more recognition on the international scene during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. It was his last minute hand-block to a goal-bound ball in a match against Ghana, resulting in him being red-carded for the offence and a subsequent penalty to Ghana. But Asemoah Gyang didn’t do any justice to it, missing it and costing Africa’s last hope in the tournament.
Following that incident, Suarez has claimed that the “Hand of God” now belongs to him, as it was previously a tag associated with another football great, Argentina’s Diego Maradona.
After the South Africa World Cup, the Uruguay talisman went on to be named the 2011 Copa America’s Best Player as Uruguay won that tournament.
His game has done a 360 since joining Liverpool in 2011, from netting brilliant goals to being suspended for hurling racial remarks to Manchester United’s Patrice Evra. He was also suspended for biting Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic.
But through it all, Suarez has managed to bounce back to show his mettle. He has shown the same fighting spirit of late as he is currently recovering from a meniscus surgery, to which he says there was never a moment he entertained ideas of missing the World Cup because of the injury.
Although many might argue that Suarez attracts controversy, deep down they know he is a sensation on the ball. He is a player of note who mixes technical excellence with sped, making him one of the deadly strikers there is around. The Brazil 2014 is for the controversial one to yet again shine and show the same antics that saw him set the English Premiership stage alight this past season.
– By Tshepo Tsheole
