Luis Suarez: Controversial moments

Uruguay forward Luis Suarez once again found himself at the centre of controversy following his country’s 1-0 FIFA World Cup win over Italy.

The South American nation secured second place in Group D and a passage to the knockout stages thanks to Diego Godin’s second-half winner in Natal on Tuesday.

Yet their talismanic striker is once again set to steal the headlines after appearing to bite Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during the closing stages.

Following a sensational year at club level with Liverpool, Suarez has now added another chapter of controversy to a career where his misdeeds have often overshadowed his mercurial talent.

Here are six occasions when Suarez has overstepped the mark and badly tarnished his reputation.

1. July 2010 – Uruguay v Ghana, World Cup quarter-final

In the final minute of an absorbing contest, Dominic Adiyiah looked set to make Ghana the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final. However, Suarez handled his effort on the line, was sent off and Asamoah Gyan missed the subsequent penalty. Suarez was far from the first player to take a red card for the team in such circumstance, but his jubilant celebrations – chaired aloft by his team-mates – following Uruguay’s success in the shootout that followed left a bitter taste.

2. November 2010 – Ajax v PSV Eindhoven, Eredivisie

The first biting incident to leave a stain on Suarez and a painful mark on an opponent. During a 0-0 draw against their rivals, Ajax’s captain concluded an altercation with PSV midfielder Otman Bakkal by biting him on the shoulder. The Dutch FA responded with a seven-match ban and Suarez would never play an Eredivisie match again. Despite scoring 49 goals in 48 games the previous season, Suarez was transferred to Liverpool in January 2011.

3. October 2011 – Liverpool v Manchester United, Premier League

Suarez did not take leaving Holland as a cue to leave controversy behind and during a typically feisty 1-1 draw between Liverpool and Manchester United he racially abused opposing defender Patrice Evra. Despite denying wrongdoing and being supported by Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish and his team-mates, Suarez was found guilty by an independent regulatory commission, banned for eight matches and fined £40,000. He showed little remorse upon his return, causing another flashpoint when he refused a pre-match handshake with Evra when United hosted Liverpool in a February 2012 FA Cup tie.

4. December 2011- Fulham v Liverpool, Premier League

As the FA charge for the Evra incident hung over him, Suarez did little to curry favour as he made an offensive gesture to the Fulham support at the end of a 1-0 loss. He was found guilty by English football’s governing body and had another match added to his self-inflicted period on the sidelines.

5. April 2013 – Liverpool v Chelsea, Premier League

Suarez brought Anfield to its feet with a goal to secure a 2-2 draw deep into stoppage time against Chelsea last April. Yet it was his last act of the season as a 66th-minute clash with Branislav Ivanovic once again showcased his vulgar side. A tangle between the duo in the penalty area resulted in a bite on the arm for the Serbia international. The FA served Suarez with a 10-match suspension that looked set to herald the end of his career on Merseyside.

6. June 2014 – Uruguay v Italy, World Cup

Perhaps the most damaging act of all given the largely restorative nature of the past 12 months. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers played a fine hand to keep the wantaway forward at Anfield and – despite a delayed start to the season as he completed the Ivanovic ban – Suarez’s 31 goals fired Liverpool to the brink of the Premier League title before they were pipped at the post by Manchester City.

Last week, a defiant Suarez returned from minor knee surgery to net a brace and send England crashing out of the World Cup, a performance followed by post-match comments that saw him complain about his treatment at the hands of the English press. However, he can surely expect further negative headlines to come his way following his tangle with Chiellini.

Following the game, during which Italy had midfielder Claudio Marchisio sent off, the Juventus defender challenged FIFA to take action over Suarez’s apparent bite. Chiellini told Sky Italia: “He gets away with it because FIFA want their stars to play in the World Cup. I’d love to see if they have the courage to use video evidence against him.”