After making the headlines for the wrong reasons again, a look at the highs and lows in the career of Luis Suarez.
10. Aged 15, headbutts a referee.
Suarez joined the youth team of Nacional at the age of 14, and at 15 was sent off for headbutting a referee. There were also concerns over his off-pitch behaviour and he had a reputation for being something of a party animal.
9. Tries to force a move to Ajax.
The Uruguayan started to make a name for himself in the Netherlands with Groningen, but tried to force a move to Ajax when he heard of their interest, even taking the matter to the Royal Dutch Football Association. He eventually got his dream move to the Amsterdam giants.
8. Made Ajax captain in 2009/10.
The talented striker was a hit at Ajax, and was appointed captain by then-manager Martin Jol after Thomas Vermaelen left the club for Arsenal in 2009.
7. Bites PSV’s Otman Bakkal on the shoulder.
Jol may have regretted the decision to make Suarez skipper, with the firey forward getting a seven-match ban after bizarrely biting the shoulder of an opponent – PSV Eindhoven’s Otman Bakkal (pictured).
6. World Cup controversy.
Suarez made a name for himself on the world stage during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, but again it was not only his exciting performances that he would be remembered for. In the quarter-final match against Ghana, with the score at 1-1, he blocked a certain goal from Stephen Appiah with his hand. He was sent off, but Ghana missed their penalty and went on to lose the game in a shoot-out. To rub salt into the wound, after the game, Suárez said: “I made the save of the tournament.”
5. Reaches 100 goals for Ajax.
Suarez continued to impress at Ajax, reaching a century of goals for the club, joining an elite group of club legends such as Johan Cruyff, Dennis Bergkamp and Marco van Basten who also achieved this feat.
4. Signs for Liverpool.
After a staggeringly impressive 111 goals in 159 appearances for Ajax, Suarez joined Liverpool for £22.8 million, briefly becoming their record signing. The Anfield club broke their own record shortly afterwards with the less successful signing of Andy Carroll for £35million from Newcastle.
3. Racially abuses Patrice Evra.
Suarez’s glittering displays won over the Anfield crowd, but he and the club didn’t cover themselves in glory after he was accused of racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra. He was given an eight-game ban, but continued to protest his innocence despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
2. Norwich hat-trick and 50-yard lob.
Perhaps his finest moment in a Liverpool shirt, Suarez scored a stunning hat-trick against Norwich City at Carrow Road, getting his third with an exquisite 50-yard lob, one of the goals of the season in the Premier League that year.
1. Bites Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic.
Almost a microcosm of Luis Suarez – he created Liverpool’s first with a quality assist, before conceding a penalty with a needless hand-ball. He was then caught biting an opposition player for the second time in his career – this time Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic. Suarez somehow escaped a red card and went on to score the equaliser with the last attack of the game. He was quick to apologise for the incident via Twitter, but a lengthy suspension surely follows.