Football

Luis Suarez Refuses to Apologise for 2010 Handball Incident

Ahead of Uruguay’s mouthwatering clash with Ghana at the 2022 World Cup on Friday afternoon, Luis Suarez attended the pre-match press conference alongside his Uruguay’s national team manager, Diego Alonso. 

While the game is an exciting prospect in its own right with both sides needing a result to qualify for the round of 16, the pre-match talk has been dominated by discussion on Suarez and his actions during the 2010 quarter-final in South Africa between the two nations. 

The incident that sparked the fury 

Suarez has been the talk of the town ahead of the match, as it is the first time the two nations have faced each other since the infamous quarter-final in 2010. 

During that particular fixture, Suarez punched away a goal-bound effort in the final moments of extra time to deny Ghana the victory. The Uruguay striker was sent off but unfortunately for Ghana, Asamoah Gyan missed the subsequent spot kick. 

Suarez Handball

The game then went to a penalty shootout, which Uruguay famously won meaning the South Americans went through to the semi-final and Ghana were sent packing. 

No apology from El Diablo

In a hostile press conference, a Ghanaian Journalist reminded the centre forward that his actions in 2010 had resulted in him becoming known as “El Diablo” – the devil himself – in Ghana. 

Unmoved by this revelation, Suarez stood firm and refused to apologise for what he did. While he has since been at the centre of more serious incidents, including being found guilty of racially abusing Patrice Evra and biting two separate opponents on the pitch, Suarez doesn’t think he has anything to say sorry for in relation to this particular moment. 

“The Ghana player missed the penalty, not me,” Suarez said. “I don’t apologise for it. I apologise if I injure a player but I took a red card for the handball. It wasn’t my fault because I didn’t miss the penalty.”

Not out for revenge

The current Ghana captain, André Ayew, has downplayed talk of revenge insisting that the squad are solely focused on the task at hand and trying to qualify for the last 16 of the tournament once more. 

Ayew is the only member of the current Ghana squad who was in the squad for the 2010 fixture against Uruguay but doesn’t seem to hold any grudges. 

“Everyone felt bad in 2010 but for me I just want to get to the next stage,” he said. “Revenge or not, we would go with the same determination and desire to win. I am not looking back, I don’t want to focus on the past.”

No extra incentive needed

To be fair to Ayew and Ghana, it’s not as if they need any extra incentive ahead of the crunch game with Uruguay. They know that a win will take them through to the last 16 of the World Cup, while a draw may even be enough if South Korea fail to beat Portugal. 

From there, they will only be four victories away from World Cup glory and just three away from setting the record for the furthest an African side has ever gone in the tournament. 


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