It is common to have football stars hope to spend their last days as active footballers with the club dearest to their hearts and it seems the case is the same for Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez, who has revealed the club he would love to be playing for when it is time for him to hang up the (goalscoring) boots for good.
According to the former Liverpool and Ajax forward, he says it would be “the greatest thing” if he were to be able to see out his distinguished playing career on the books at the Camp Nou. Yes, you read that right, fans of the Reds and Amsterdam’s marquee football club, Suarez is hoping to retire as a Barcelona player, with the Uruguay international making the admission even though the prolific frontman still has plenty of competitive football left in him yet.
However, he is closer to the end of his playing days than he is the start so it is only expected the thoughts of where his last footballing days would be spent. Suarez accepts as much but is currently tied to a contract through to 2021 and intends to carry on well beyond that point. And, if he gets his wish, an extended stay in Catalunya will eventually allow him to hang up his boots while on the books of the Blaugrana. When asked by Sport on whether he would like to retire at Barca, Suarez said: “Yes. Obviously few ever get to believe that is possible, but I think it’s the desire of any player. To finish at the best club in the world would be the greatest thing. But that will be difficult as very few have achieved it before.”
Suarez remains a key figure for Barca at present, having scored another 16 goals this season to added to what has been an impressive tally for the club, with his overall number of goals at Camp Nou standing at 168… and counting. That mark has been reached in just 226 games, with the South American proving to be the perfect attacking partner for the mercurial Lionel Messi.
But Suarez’s time in La Liga has not all been rosy, with questions having been asked of him during the odd dip in form. He has been around long enough to know that criticism comes with the job and he is accustomed to performing under such pressure having arrived at Barca on the back of spells at Ajax and Liverpool. “Criticism is constantly the order of the day,” added Suarez. “And more so here in Barcelona with the expectations being so high.”
He added: “You know what it is. Everyone knows that the requirement is to deliver every three days. I go one game without a goal and that’s it. You already have doubters. You have to live with that all the time. The criticism does not hurt me though because I know how old I am, I know what I have achieved. The criticism of the journalists or of other people does not hurt. I know what I have to do in Barcelona and I know the pressure that comes with playing here. I’m used to it and I’ve always tried to respond in the best way.”
W