Luis Suarez story: World Cup pictures of banned Uruguay striker
- Published
Villain or hero? Uruguay fans hold up and wear masks of striker Luis Suarez before their World Cup match against Colombia on Saturday 28 June. Defeat marked the end of a campaign in which Suarez made headlines around the globe, as these pictures illustrate.
World of pain: Liverpool and Uruguay striker Luis Suarez begins the 2014 World Cup in Brazil as a Golden Boot contender and ends up being booted out for biting an opponent.
On the sidelines: Suarez (right) applauds from the bench as he sits out Uruguay's opening World Cup game on Saturday 14 June following keyhole surgery on a knee injury. Costa Rica claim a surprise 3-1 win, badly damaging his side's hopes of qualification from Group D.
Back in business: Suarez starts in the crucial match against England at Arena de Sao Paulo on Thursday 19 June, and opens the scoring with a perfectly placed header beyond the reach of England goalkeeper Joe Hart.
Match winner: After England equalise through Manchester United's Wayne Rooney, Liverpool striker Suarez seals a 2-1 Group D win for Uruguay at the Corinthians arena in Sao Paulo.
On top of the world: Suarez, 27, enjoys a moment of sheer elation as he basks in the cheers from Uruguyan supporters, but his world will be turned upside down again five days later.
Friends again: As his team-mates celebrate, Suarez consoles England captain Steven Gerrard, his club captain at Liverpool, with the defeat leaving the Three Lions on the verge of elimination from the tournament in the group stage.
Moment of madness: With Uruguay's final group match against Italy goalless heading into the final minutes on Tuesday 24 June, Suarez is embroiled in a biting controversy for the third time in his career - this time appearing to gnaw on the shoulder of defender Giorgio Chiellini.
Shock and anger: Suarez is immediately accused by Chiellini, who pulls down his shirt to reveal a mark on his left shoulder. The striker, meanwhile, holds his teeth after he incident
All smiles for now: Uruquay go on to snatch a late winner against Italy and Suarez celebrates the 1-0 victory at the Dunas Arena in Natal, but after the match he will face a major controversy that results in disciplinary action.
Gnaw Mercy: That is the headline in the Sun newspaper in the UK, as Suarez's bite features across the media including the Huffington Post, Metro, Daily Mirror and Daily Telegraph. The player's antics also become a figure of fun on social media.
Poster boy: One of the player's sponsors, 888poker, terminates his contract while the advertisement at Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro is changed after tourists queue to have their pictures taken alongside it.
The final whistle: Suarez says farewell to Brazil after football's governing body Fifa gives the striker a nine-match ban from internationals and four-month suspension from all football-related activity, including going to stadiums. It rules him out of playing until the end of October.
Fans' favourite: While Suarez faces criticism elsewhere, in Uruguay fans gather at Carrasco international airport, 20 km east of the capital Montevideo, to welcome him back to the country, although he actually returns later.
Show of support: Argentina legend Diego Maradona calls the Fifa ban "shameful" and says "they might as well handcuff Suarez and throw him in Guantanamo" while Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez suggests the English media are responsible for the "excessive" sanction.
Homecoming hero: Seemingly relaxed despite his ban, Suarez holds his children as he waves at fans from his mother's home in Solymar, near Montevideo, on Friday 27 June.
What next? Suarez remains a Liverpool player, with potential suitors such as Barcelona likely to be asked for a £80m transfer fee should he leave. Last season, he missed the first six games through suspension but still ended up as the Premier League's top scorer.