Luis Suarez has called on Darwin Nunez to demonstrate his ability and bounce back stronger following his international suspension.
With Suarez now retired from international duty, Nunez is set to take on a more pivotal role for Uruguay.
However, the Liverpool striker will miss five matches for the national team after receiving a ban from CONMEBOL, the governing body of South American football, due to his involvement in a post-match altercation during the Copa América.
The incident occurred after Uruguay’s semi-final defeat to Colombia at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
Following the match, Nunez and several other Uruguayan players rushed into the stands to protect their families from aggressive Colombian fans.
A brawl ensued, requiring police intervention to bring the situation under control.
Earlier this week, CONMEBOL handed out suspensions to those involved, with Núñez now facing a five-game ban.
Luis Suarez, no stranger to controversy himself, offered his advice to the younger forward, urging him to learn from the incident and prove his detractors wrong.
He said: “I already spoke with Darwin when he was sanctioned in England.
“Sometimes people enjoy it more when you are on the ground and fall, but people feel more pain when you get back up.
“And that is what he has to do: get up and continue to show the kind of player he is.
“That is where you see the great players and the mental strength he has to have to show those people that they like to see him on the ground.”
Darwin Nunez has scored 13 goals in 29 appearances for his country, positioning him as the next big hope for Uruguay following the legendary careers of Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani.
Suarez, the former Liverpool and Barcelona star, recently announced his retirement from international football.
Reflecting on his decision, Suarez stated: “It is not an easy moment that they must be going through, these are complicated moments.
“I have spoken with some of them and unfortunately, they cannot be here, for something so important for me.
“I’ve been with all of them for many years in the national team and I would have liked them to be here on Friday, but that’s football and they’ve sent me their messages, and they know that it’s a difficult time for me to make that decision.”
Suarez was serenaded by fans in Montevideo on an emotional night, following his final appearance in Uruguay’s 0-0 draw against Paraguay.
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