Barcelona News: Former Inter playmaker claims Luis Suarez has aged well like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
What's the story?
Former Inter and Uruguay playmaker, Alvaro Recoba, has heaped praise on his countryman, Luis Suarez, stating that the Barcelona striker is in the same bracket as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo when it comes to ageing in style.
In case you didn't know...
Suarez may be turning 33 during the 2019-20 campaign but he has shown no signs of slowing down, having tallied 177 goals in 247 appearances for the Blaugrana to date.
The Uruguay international netted 25 goals in all competitions for the Catalan giants last season and remains one of the most prolific goalscorers in the Spanish top-flight.
Meanwhile, Messi and Ronaldo have proven themselves to be the embodiment of longevity and consistency, having maintained their goal-scoring prowess for over a decade.
Last season, Messi won the Pichichi Trophy and the European Golden Shoe for scoring 36 goals in La Liga alone. He sensationally tallied 51 goals in all competitions for Barcelona and is expected to continue his scintillating form into the new campaign.
Ronaldo, on the other hand, netted 21 goals in the Serie A in his debut season with Juventus and was named the league's Player of the Year. He scored 28 goals in all competitions and will undoubtedly increase what people have deemed to be an 'average' tally this season.
The heart of the matter
Recoba has hailed Suarez as one of the best players in the history of football and has lauded the way he changed his game to adapt to his age without compromising on the numbers.
When asked about the Barcelona star, he said (via Football Espana),
"It’s a question of age and I’m not just talking about Luis Suarez here, because Lionel Messi is in that age bracket. Then there is Cristiano too, who is a little older. They have all adapted to their changing physical capabilities, and the changing speed."
"Today, Messi isn’t the same player that he was ten years ago. Now he cannot pick up the ball and run through the whole opposition team ten times a game."
"Now he has to play differently, and I think Luis plays differently today too you know…he is running a little less, covering less distance, but still scoring goals."
"Luis’s goal scoring record season after season is incredible, and look, it is normal that he has to change his style of play as he ages."
He added, "He is, without doubt, Uruguay’s best-ever player and he is one of the best in the history of the sport."
What's next?
Barcelona are next scheduled to face Napoli in a friendly on Sunday.