Luis Suarez reflects on his infamous handball against Ghana
17th January 2018
It’s been 8 years since, Luis Suarez’s blatant handball to deny Ghana a goal in the dying seconds of the match against Uruguay in a 2010 World Cup quarter-final with the scores tied at 1-1.
Suarez was sent off and Ghana were awarded a penalty, but it was missed by Asamoah Gyan and Uruguay ultimately progressed to the semi-finals.
Speaking in an interview with the Players’ Tribune ‘El Pistelero’ explained his action,
“Yes, the truth is, it was a bit of everything — of being depressed, of being sad, of being sent off. Because we were going to lose, but if they weren’t scoring that goal we weren’t going to lose, and … well, you get up within 30 seconds when he takes the penalty kick, the satisfaction of well, I took a risk in a situation of which I have been blamed for anti fair play. However, the Ghana player missing the penalty is not my fault”
On his wild celebrations after he stuck around to see the penalty miss before going into the dressing room, he said;
“I didn’t kick anyone or anything like that, that’s why I think that I celebrated like that, for having taken a risk for something that was worth it. And I remember that I celebrated it more than a goal. A teammate on the bench passed out on that play, hahaha“
The images of the game that could’ve potentially taken Ghana and Africa to its first Semi-finals spot in World Cup history still haunts majority of Ghanaians to this day and for that, no justification will change the fact Suarez is still very much a Villain in the eyes of many.
By Daraja Mutari/Ghanaguardian.com