Undoubtedly, Uruguayan football isn’t what it once was, but the wealth of talent that has come out of the country in recent years has given the country enormous hope for the future. Luis Suarez, the dynamic Ajax Amsterdam scoring machine, is one player who will undoubtedly contribute to Uruguay reaching its full potential. Suarez showed the requisite resolve to sign for a bigger club when he left Uruguayan powerhouse Club Nacional de Football for FC Groningen of the Netherlands in 2006. After enjoying a successful season with the club, he was sold to Ajax for €7.5 million in August 2007.
Suarez has constantly been outstanding for Ajax since making his Eredivisie debut in an 8-1 victory over De Graafschap in which he scored one goal and assisted on three others. Suarez scored 20 goals in 40 games at the Amsterdam Arena by the end of his debut campaign there. Suarez continued to play well the following season, finishing second in the scoring statistics with 22 goals in 31 games, a ratio that already caught the eye of some of the richest clubs in Europe.
Europe’s most prolific goal-scorer?
Suarez, however, decided it would be best to stay at Ajax for another season despite interest from various clubs in England, Italy, and Spain. It was a wise decision, as the recently concluded 2009–10 season was without a doubt his best, as not only did Suarez captain Ajax, but he also finished the season as the Dutch league’s top goal-scorer with 35 goals, for a total of 49 goals in all competitions — an incredible number. Suarez winning the award for Dutch Footballer of the Year came as no surprise.
Suarez closed a remarkable season on a personal note by scoring twice as Ajax defeated Feyenoord 4-1 in the Dutch Cup final, although Ajax finished second to FC Twente in the Dutch division.
Suarez’s talent, though, has not just been evident at the club level; it has also been visible with the Uruguayan national team, where he has forged a deadly offensive partnership with Diego Forlan of Atletico Madrid, another of Europe’s most lethal strikers. Suarez contributed to Uruguay’s World Cup qualification by scoring significant goals against Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador.
What the future holds…
Suarez can’t conceal the fact that he has become one of the most sought-after strikers in all of Europe, even though he will be focused on helping Uruguay advance as far as they can in the 2010 World Cup. Suarez’s ability to score goals hasn’t gone unnoticed, and it won’t be long before he makes a high-profile move to one of Europe’s top clubs. Several elite clubs, including Real Madrid, Barcelona, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Juventus, and AC Milan, have shown interest in Suarez in recent months. Even that seems like a pretty little sum to pay for a player of his undeniable caliber, however, sources claim that Ajax will not sell the player for less than €30 million.
Player Details
Full name: Luis Alberto Suarez Diaz
Position: Striker
Date of Birth: January 24, 1987 (23)
Place of Birth: Salto, Uruguay
Height: 1.81 meters
Clubs: Nacional, Groningen, Ajax Amsterdam
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