MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay.- Uruguayan football star Luis Suárez received a warm welcome in Montevideo as he returned from Brazil to join the national team for the upcoming World Cup 2026 South American qualifiers. Suárez, summoned by coach Marcelo Bielsa, is set to play in the critical matches against Argentina and Bolivia.

The Uruguayan Football Association celebrated his arrival with a social media post, saying, "What a pleasure to see you again... The highest scorer of the Uruguayan National Team arrived at the training complex with the same joy as on his first day." Accompanying the post was a photo of Suárez entering the training ground.

Fans also had the chance to interact with Suárez at Carrasco International Airport, where the striker took the time to sign autographs and take photos with admirers who came to greet him.

This call-up marks Suárez's return to the Uruguayan squad, where he will be joining key players like José María Giménez and Rodrigo Bentancur, who were also called up for the qualifiers. The last time these players represented Uruguay was during the 2022 Qatar World Cup, where they concluded their journey with a 2-0 victory over Ghana, featuring goals by Giorgian de Arrascaeta.

Born in January 1987 in Salto, Uruguay, Suárez made his debut for the national team in February 2007. Since then, he has played in 137 matches and scored 68 goals, making him Uruguay's all-time leading scorer. Suárez has represented Uruguay in four World Cups and was part of the team that triumphed in the 2011 Copa América.

The upcoming matches are crucial for Uruguay, who currently stands second in the qualifier standings with seven points from four games. The team will face Argentina at Boca Juniors' iconic 'La Bombonera' stadium on Thursday, followed by a home game against Bolivia at the historic Centenario Stadium in Montevideo on November 21. These matches represent key opportunities for Uruguay to strengthen their position in the quest for World Cup qualification.