Marcelo Bielsa has expressed gratitude for the chance to manage Luis Suarez, who is yet to make a decision on his Uruguay future after they finished third at the Copa America. (More Football News)
Sua༺rez scored a last-gasp equaliser as Uruguay drew 2-2 with Canada in Saturday's third-place play-off before claiming the bronze medal with a 4-3 penalty shoot-out win.
He converted La Celeste's fourth and final penalty before Alphonso Davies clipped the crossbar with an attempted Panenka, as Uruguay match💜ed their second-best Copaও America result this century (having won the trophy in 2011).
Suarez was 🀅playing his 19th match at the Copa America and has scored at four separate editions of the tournament (2011, 2019, 2021 and 2024), a feat only matched by three other Uruguayans – Roberto Porta (four), Angel Ro♈mano and Hector Scarone (both five).
The 37-year-old saw his minutes limited at this year's tournament and is expected to call time on his international career a𒉰fter saying "the flame is dying out" last week.
Speaking after Uruguay's shoot-out win, he refused to be drawn on his future as he said: "Today the important t💫hing is to appreciate and value the effort of the whole team, and in my case, that is the only focu𒉰s.
"I think that it is difficult when you arrive at the third versus fourth match to be motivated, but the motivation and pride wit🐲hin ourselves that we had today, it is about competing for the shirt of this country, one for which we have all suffered.
"After the loss the other day, there's no better way to finish than with a vic൩tory. It's good to take the positive things and correct🍌 the negatives."
Bielsa, meanwhile, said it was a pleasure to have coacꦿhed Suarez, who is Uruguay's all-time leading scorer with 69 goals in 142 matches.
"The level heꦓ showed in the minu🥂tes he played, the technical and physical level he showed in training, put him close to the starting lineup," Bielsa said of the Inter Miami man.
"Today in the second half had a satisfactory performance and, in addition to the goal, he led some attacks that allowed🌜 us to dominate passages of the game, toꦡ generate situations.
"Having shared this time with him confirms the image of a superior player, of a great team-mate, he was a very great support 🍷for all of us."
Uruguay could be surpassed outright for the most Copa America titles in Sunday's final, as Argentina target a 16th triumph at ജthe tournament against Colombia.
