The striking tandem of Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, who have been in charge of Uruguay’s national football squad for the past 15 years, are entering their final World Cup and are rapidly approaching retirement.
The two 35-year-olds, who were born just 21 days apart in the northern Salto province, have adorned some of Europe’s most illustrious clubs while consistently illuminating their home shores.
Suarez has 68 goals in 134 games, and Cavani has 58 goals in 133 games, making them the two top goal scorers in the history of the Celeste national team.
For the better part of 15 years they have been pillars of a plucky Uruguay outfit that reached the World Cup semi-finals in South Africa in 2010 before lifting the Copa America the following year.
This will be their fourth World Cup and despite their advancing years they remain heroes to their compatriots.
They are “the best forward pairing in the history of the Celeste”, ESPN journalist Diego Munoz told AFP.
“They put their egos aside, always put the team first and strengthened each other. (They were) essential to a generation that gave back the national team and hope to the people.”
Once their boots are hung up for good, they will be sorely missed.
The attacking duo guaranteed “an important goalscoring potential that the Celeste has rarely had, at least in the last 60 years,” said journalist Luis Prats, an author of many books on football history.
“Relying on them gave you the confidence that you could even win tight games with few chances. You just had to give them the ball and they finished it.
“On top of that they had great understanding: Cavani created many of Suarez’s goals and vice versa.”
