Luis Suarez returns to Uruguay squad for World Cup qualifiers

Uruguay's all-time leading goal scorer, 36-year-old Luis Suarez, is set to make a triumphant return to the national squad for the first time since the World Cup. The announcement came on Monday as manager Marcelo Bielsa unveiled his 24-man squad for the upcoming qualifiers. However, the team will be without the services of another seasoned striker, Edinson Cavani, who has been sidelined due to a muscle injury sustained in Boca Juniors' recent 1-0 victory over Newell's Old Boys.

To fill the void left by Cavani, Bielsa has called up Federico Vinas from Mexican club Leon as a last-minute replacement. The squad faces a challenging schedule, with a visit to South American qualifying leaders Argentina, who currently top the table with 12 points, on Thursday. Subsequently, Uruguay will host bottom-placed Bolivia the following Tuesday.

Suarez, who last represented Uruguay in the 2-0 triumph over Ghana in December during the World Cup, boasts an impressive international career with 137 appearances and 68 goals to his name. Despite Uruguay's early exit from the World Cup in Qatar, Suarez has an opportunity to climb to the top of the all-time South American World Cup qualifying scoring charts. He trails behind Argentina's Lionel Messi by two goals, holding a total of 31.

Additionally, Suarez is on the verge of breaking the record for the most games played for Uruguay in World Cup qualifiers, a record currently held by Diego Godin with 65 appearances. Suarez is just three games away from surpassing the Gremio forward's milestone.

The announced squad includes a mix of experienced players and emerging talents:

Goalkeepers:

• Sergio Rochet (Internacional)
• Franco Israel (Sporting)
• Santiago Mele (Junior)

Defenders:

• Ronald Araujo (Barcelona)
• Jose Maria Gimenez (Atletico Madrid)
• Bruno Mendez (Corinthians)
• Sebastian Caceres (America)
• Matias Vina (Sassuolo)

Midfielders:

• Guillermo Varela (Flamengo)
• Mathias Olivera (Napoli)
• Manuel Ugarte (Paris St Germain)
• Rodrigo Bentancur (Tottenham Hotspur)
• Felipe Carballo (Gremio)
• Nicolas de la Cruz (River Plate)
• Federico Valverde (Real Madrid)
• Giorgian de Arrascaeta (Flamengo)
• Agustin Canobbio (Athletico Paranaense)
• Maximiliano Araujo (Toluca)
• Facundo Pellistri (Manchester United)
• Facundo Torres (Orlando City)

Strikers:

• Cristian Olivera (Los Angeles FC)
• Darwin Nunez (Liverpool)
• Federico Vinas (Leon)
• Luis Suarez (Gremio)