Fans of Uruguayan side Nacional have taken drastic measures to try and convince Luis Suarez to return to his first club.
Suarez is currently a free agent, after leaving Atletico Madrid at the end of his contract in July 2022. During his two-year stay in the Spanish capital, Suarez scored 34 goals in 83 appearances.
Additionally, his goals helped Diego Simeone’s side claim the 2020/21 La Liga title – Atletico’s first trophy in seven years. Unfortunately, they could not retain their crown and finished third last season. Suarez made 45 appearances in all competitions, scoring 13 times.
Now, the 35-year-old is moving on to a fresh challenge. Several clubs are in the race for his signature from Europe and the Americas.
MLS and European interest
Suarez himself revealed that numerous sides from Major League Soccer had expressed their desire to sign him. However, he wants to maintain fitness for the World Cup, so he may have to look elsewhere.
Recently, speculation has linked the Uruguayan to the Bundesliga. Sky Sports Germany have suggested that Dortmund may be in the mix for Suarez, following the news that their striker Sebastian Haller has been diagnosed with a testicular tumour.
Even Aston Villa are among the clubs after the former Barcelona forward, although this interest has cooled over the past couple of months.
As a result, one team holds dreams of a homecoming for their past hero. Uruguayan giants Nacional have gone all-out in their attempts to bring back Luis Suarez. He actually started his career there, coming through the academy and making the first team before moving to Europe.
Nacional make Luis Suarez masks in attempt to lure him back
Social media kick-started this whole pursuit. The club’s Twitter account posted a photo of their Carlos Gardel statue holding a sign that said “#SuarezANacional”. Gardel was a Tango singer-songwriter whose statue is actually inside Nacional’s ground.
Alongside the image, Nacional captioned the tweet “What do you say, wizard?” in a bold attempt to get Suarez’s attention. Following this, the hashtag from the picture went viral, as fans clamoured for the Uruguayan to come home.
Last night, at a match against Cerrito, the club went even further.
They handed out masks of Suarez’s face and signs reading #SuarezANacional to every one of the 20,000-plus supporters that came through the turnstiles.
The stands became a sea of Luis Suarez faces as the Nacional faithful fully bought into the campaign. In the ninth minute, fans even chanted in recognition of the Uruguayan, singing “Ole, ole, ole, ole, Suarez, Suarez”.
This incredible show of passion must surely have caught the attention of Suarez. If he decides to go elsewhere, he will be breaking plenty of hearts back in his homeland.
Featured Image Credit: Getty