It was lighting in a bottle, but what a bottle and what powerful lighting, looking to be in game shape for Uruguay in the upcoming FIFA World Cup, Luis Suarez turned back the clock and gave Los Tricolores a huge boost and two championships to boot.
Suarez played a total of 16 matches for Nacional across all competitions, he scored 8 goals, one which included a highlight reel goal against archrivals Peñarol, and two in the Uruguayan playoffs.
For Suarez it was a dream come true, for Nacional fans a memory that will last a lifetime. On Sunday in El Gran Parque Central, Uruguay’s all-time leading scorer said his goodbye to the fans that started a social media movement that left the world class striker no choice but to return home.
What comes next for Luis Suarez?
In a sendoff event at the stadium with the newly crowned Uruguayan champions, Suarez was in tears as he saw the love of the supporters and his teammates.
“As I said a while ago, I came back for (the fans) and because I wanted to be here. Unconsciously I wanted to come back. You have to feel proud that people around the world talk about what the Nacional fans did and it’s all your credit”.
“I want to thank the president, the coaching staff for having treated me as they treated me from the beginning, all the people from the Nacional staff, my teammates for the daily treatment, I enjoyed every day and moment. I take with me a fantastic group, very grateful, I take with me the memory of all of you”, Suarez said in a tearful and emotional message to the fans. Then the striker jokingly returned the number 9 shirt to Emmanuel Gigliotti, the former Boca Juniors striker who had to take a reduced role with the return of the former Liverpool striker.
Suarez left by gifting a new iPhone to each one of his teammates and signing a mural of his image near the stadium. Now rumors in Uruguay state that Luis Suarez is MLS bound.
Suarez is rumored to be signing next with the Los Angeles Galaxy, but that has not yet been confirmed by media in the United States. River Plate in Argentina is also rumored to still be interested in Suarez with teams from Brazil also on the docket.
Inter Miami also has been mentioned as a possible destination, but it was reported by Telemundo 12 and Telenoche that Suarez had already begun talks with the Galaxy.
Up next for Luis Suarez is his fourth World Cup with Uruguay in Qatar 2022, then he may just be west coast bound.