Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz (; born 24 January 1987) is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays as a striker for Major League Soccer club Inter Miami. He is regarded as one of the best players of his generation and one of the greatest strikers of all time. Nicknamed "El Pistolero" (), individually, he won two European Golden Shoes, an Eredivisie Golden Boot, a Premier League Golden Boot and a Pichichi Trophy. He has scored over 600 career goals and provided over 300 assists for club and country. In addition, he is also one of a select number of players who have amassed over 1,000 career appearances (the first Uruguayan to achieve the feat, since the time matches are recorded).
Suárez began his senior club career at Uruguayan club Nacional in 2005. He signed with Groningen the following year before transferring to Ajax in 2007. There, he won the Eredivisie title and KNVB Cup. In 2011, Suárez signed with Premier League club Liverpool, and won the League Cup in his first full season. In 2013–14, his final season with the club, he equalled the goalscoring record of 31 goals for a 38-game Premier League season, with Liverpool finishing just two points behind Manchester City in the title race. That summer, Barcelona signed Suárez for a fee of £65 million (€82.3 million adjusted for inflation), making him one of the most expensive players.
At Barcelona, Suárez was part of a dominant attacking trio dubbed MSN, alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar. He won the treble in his first season and was the most prolific player in Europe in his second season, scoring 59 goals in 53 matches as Barcelona won the double. He was also the first player ever to simultaneously lead La Liga in goals and assists. In 2020, he signed with Atlético Madrid, where he was awarded the best player in La Liga as Atlético won La Liga in his debut season. Suárez returned to Nacional in 2022 before relocating to Brazilian club Grêmio in the following year, where he was awarded the best player in Série A. In 2024, he joined Inter Miami and won the MLS Cup in his second season.
At the international level, Suárez is Uruguay's all-time leading goalscorer and formerly the highest goalscorer in CONMEBOL FIFA World Cup qualifiers before being surpassed by Messi. He has represented his nation at four editions of the FIFA World Cup and five editions of the Copa América, as well as the 2012 Summer Olympics and the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. He was named to the 2010 World Cup All-Star Team and won the 2011 Copa América, where he was awarded Best Player. Suárez has been the subject of many career controversies, including a goal-line handball clearance against Ghana at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, biting opponents on three occasions, accusations of diving, racist incidents, and spitting incidents.
Club career Youth Suárez lived his early years at the Cerro neighbourhood in Salto, where he played youth football at Sportivo Artigas.Suárez Capítulo 1: El "Salta", aquel pibe de barrio – Enrique Arrillaga / Ángel Asteggiante, El País, 19 October 2014 At age seven, he moved with his family (parents and six brothers) to Montevideo, where he played youth football at Urreta. When he was a child, a car ran over his foot, breaking the fifth metatarsal bone. In spite of the injuries, he continued to play.
Nacional Suárez joined local side Nacional's youth team at age 14. At age 16, Suárez headbutted a referee after showing his discontent following a red card, although a sports editor claimed he "accidentally fell into the referee". One night, he was caught drinking and partying, prompting his coach to threaten he would never play unless he started playing football more seriously. In May 2005, at age 18, Suárez made his first-team debut against Atlético Junior in the Copa Libertadores. He scored his first goal in September 2005 and helped Nacional win the 2005–06 Uruguayan league with 10 goals in 27 matches.
Suárez was found by a group of scouts from the Dutch club Groningen when they were in Uruguay to scout another player. As they watched, he won and converted a penalty and scored a "wonder goal" against Defensor. After watching only that match, the scouts approached Suárez and said they wanted to buy him, and after the season, Groningen paid Nacional €800,000 for him. Suárez was thrilled to go to Europe because his then girlfriend, and now wife, Sofía Balbi, had moved to Barcelona; they had maintained a long-distance relationship for a year and he wanted to move closer to her.
Groningen
Suárez was 19 years old when he joined Groningen. Initially, Suárez struggled because he could not speak Dutch or English, and he played on the second team to adjust to the Dutch game. His teammate and fellow Uruguayan, Bruno Silva, and his teammate Rùfson, helped him settle into living in the Netherlands and playing for a new team. He worked hard to learn Dutch and his teammates respected him for his efforts with the language. Suárez scored goals for Groningen, but he also had disciplinary problems; in one five-game stretch in January 2007, he scored four goals but received three yellow cards and one red card. Suárez especially made his mark in a 4–3 home win over Vitesse, when with ten minutes to go he subsequently won a penalty and scored two goals. Suárez ended with 10 goals in 29 league appearances to help Groningen finish eighth in the 2006–07 Eredivisie. He also scored in a 4–2 loss to Serbian club Partizan in his European debut on 14 September 2006.
Ajax saw potential in Suárez and offered Groningen €3.5 million for him, but Groningen rejected the offer. Suárez was upset and brought his case to the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB)'s arbitration committee to try to facilitate the sale. The arbitration committee ruled against him on 9 August 2007, but that same day, Ajax increased their offer to €7.5 million and Groningen accepted.
Ajax 2007–09: Development and breakthrough On 9 August 2007 Suárez signed a five-year contract with Ajax, for a transfer fee of €7.5 million, and made his club debut in a UEFA Champions League qualifier against Slavia Prague. He scored one goal in his Eredivisie debut for the club and two goals in his home debut at the Amsterdam Arena. Ajax finished second in the league table in the 2007–08 season and Suárez scored 17 goals in 33 league appearances, setting up a blossoming striking partnership with league top scorer Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.
During the 2008–09 season, Ajax head coach Marco van Basten noted how Suárez played an important role in many of Ajax's goals, but Van Basten was also upset by the number of yellow cards Suárez received. Suárez was suspended for one match because he was given his seventh yellow card of the season against Utrecht in a 2–0 win. He was also suspended after a half-time altercation with teammate Albert Luque over a free kick. Ajax ended the season in third place. Suárez scored 22 goals in 31 league matches and finished second in scoring tables, one goal behind Mounir El Hamdaoui of AZ. Suárez was also named Ajax Player of the Year.
2009–10: League top goalscorer
Before the 2009–10 season, Martin Jol replaced Van Basten as head coach. After the departure of Ajax captain Thomas Vermaelen to Arsenal, Jol named Suárez team captain. Suárez started scoring goals early in the season with a hat-trick in a 4–1 win against RKC Waalwijk. He had a number of multiple-goal matches throughout the season, including four in wins over Slovan Bratislava in the UEFA Europe League play-off round, VVV-Venlo and Roda JC. He scored three in the first half in another win over VVV-Venlo and six against WHC Wezep in the KNVB Cup as Ajax won by a club-record margin of 14–1.
Suárez scored two goals in the second leg of the KNVB Cup final and finished as the tournament's top scorer. Ajax won the Cup final 6–1 on aggregate over Feyenoord, but they finished second in the league behind Twente.Suárez ended the season as the Eredivisie's top scorer with 35 goals in 33 matches, and had 49 goals in all competitions. He was named Ajax Player of the Year for the second straight year and Dutch Footballer of the Year.
2010–11: First biting incident
Soon after Suárez returned from his World Cup campaign, he scored his 100th goal for Ajax in a 1–1 home draw against PAOK in a UEFA Champions League qualifier. This put him in an elite group of players, including Johan Cruyff, Marco van Basten and Dennis Bergkamp, to score 100 or more goals with the club. Suárez continued his scoring run with a hat-trick against De Graafschap in a 5–0 win.
On 20 November 2010, Suárez bit PSV's Otman Bakkal on the shoulder during a 0–0 draw. Ajax suspended him for two matches and fined him an undisclosed amount, which the club said they would donate to a "good cause". The Dutch daily newspaper De Telegraaf branded Suárez the "Cannibal of Ajax". The KNVB increased Suárez's suspension to seven league matches. Suárez apologized for his actions through a video he uploaded to his Facebook page.
Liverpool Transfer During the suspension, Ajax were in contact with other European clubs interested in Suárez. On 28 January 2011, they accepted a €26.5 million (£22.8 million) offer for Suárez from Premier League club Liverpool. Despite leaving while suspended, Suárez departed Ajax on good terms, and he was given a farewell sendoff after an Ajax match. During the sendoff, an Ajax coach spoke to him and the crowd and said how the club wished he could stay longer; the crowd applauded their agreement and fireworks followed. Ajax ended the 2010–11 season as Eredivisie champions and Suárez was given a winner's medal for his 7 goals in 13 appearances.
On 31 January 2011, Suárez signed a five-and-a-half-year deal with Liverpool until 2016, and was the club's most expensive signing (£22.8 million) until the arrival of Andy Carroll (£35 million) a few hours later. Suárez requested the number seven shirt, which had been worn by Liverpool legends Kevin Keegan, Peter Beardsley and his new manager, Kenny Dalglish.
2011–12: Early seasons
Suárez made his Liverpool debut on 2 February against Stoke City at Anfield in a 2–0 win; he came on as a substitute and scored Liverpool's second goal in front of the Kop in the 79th minute. He was one of Liverpool's best players during his partial season and helped Liverpool go from 12th in the league in mid-January to finish sixth. He finished the 2010–11 season with four goals in 13 games.
After winning the Player of the Tournament at the 2011 Copa América, Suárez had a disappointing 2011–12 season by his standards. Liverpool finished in eighth place and Suárez scored 11 league goals. On 26 February, Liverpool won the League Cup, defeating Cardiff City in a penalty shootout. On 28 April, Suárez scored his first Liverpool hat-trick in a 3–0 win against Norwich City at Carrow Road. He finished sixth for the 2011 FIFA Ballon d'Or.
Racial abuse incident The season was marked by an incident in which Suárez was found guilty by a three-man panel from The Football Association (FA) of racially abusing Patrice Evra during a match against Manchester United in October; he was issued an eight-match suspension and a £40,000 fine. Suárez disputed this decision.
After a 1–1 draw against Manchester United on 15 October 2011, Suárez was accused of racially abusing Evra, and the FA opened up an investigation into the incident. Suárez wrote on his Twitter and Facebook pages that he was upset by the accusation and denied the claims. On 16 November, the FA announced it would charge Suárez with "abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour contrary to FA rules", including "a reference to the ethnic origin and/or colour and/or race of Patrice Evra". Liverpool later released a statement announcing Suárez would plead innocent, adding they would "remain fully supportive" of him. On 20 December, the FA concluded a seven-day hearing, handing Suárez an eight-match ban and a £40,000 fine for racially abusing Evra.