With very few minutes in his fifth Copa América, Luis Suárez declared on Thursday that he is enjoying his presence in the national team of Uruguay like never before.
The 37-year-old forward insisted that he has accepted the substitute role he now has in the team led by Argentina coach Marcelo Bielsa.
“I’m enjoying every minute, because with my age and as you get older, you enjoy it more,” said the historic scorer of the Uruguayan team. “The flame of football is going out little by little, and it’s great to enjoy this moment, with this group.”
La Celeste closed the group stage with perfect speed, winning against Panama (3-1), Bolivia (5-0) and the United States (1-0).
They will face Brazil in the quarter finals of the cup in Las Vegas.
Suárez came on for the last minutes of the games against Bolivia and the United States, always for Darwin Núñez. He earned Bielsa’s call after starting his first season in the US MLS, scoring 12 goals in 16 games with Inter Miami.
“People outside Suárez can see so many games, so many goals, the past years, but I am one more,” he said. “To play or not is the role I play and I’m happy to play my part, always trying to help the team as much as I can.”
Author of 68 goals in 140 games for Uruguay and the 2011 Copa América champion, Suárez revealed that he has taken on the role of mentor for Núñez, tracing the experience he had with his predecessors, Diego Forlán and Sebastián Abreu.
“I try to help him as much as I can. I was in that place, and at his age, and I know how important it is to have references,” said Suárez.