Since becoming a member of Brazilian membership Gremio, veteran striker Luis Suarez has taken town of Porto Alegre by storm, scoring a flurry of objectives, hoisting two trophies and serving to the down-on-its-luck crew dare to dream once more.
The southern metropolis has been swept by “Suarezmania” for the reason that 36-year-old Uruguayan arrived 4 months in the past for a late-career swan tune.
Attendance has doubled at Gremio’s stadium, Suarez’s jersey bought out in 10 days on the clubhouse retailer, and his face is stamped on banners that flutter amid a sea of sky blue at matches.
“It’s been quite a show,” lifelong Gremio fan Sandra Quintana mentioned outdoors the stadium final month earlier than the semi-finals of the Rio Grande do Sul state championship.
“It’s so exciting. He’s one of the greats,” the 66-year-old nutritionist informed AFP, brandishing a banner with an image of “El Pistolero” — who went on to guide Gremio to victory within the state championship finals on April 8 in opposition to fourth-division aspect Caxias.
“And now he’s part of our family. He’s bringing his experience here and helping shape the next generation of Gremio players.”
Suarez was the phobia of defenses throughout a greater than 15-year profession in Europe, the place his uncooked power made him a talisman for the likes of Liverpool and Barcelona — but in addition obtained him in bother when it boiled over into notorious incidents of biting or racially abusing opponents.
The growing older star made his South American homecoming final 12 months, returning to his boyhood membership, Nacional in Montevideo, and serving to them to the Uruguayan league title.
He stayed simply 4 months, then joined Gremio in January.
Money-making machine
On paper, the scandal-plagued star’s arrival in Brazil appears like a probably lame post-postscript, coming after his stint with Nacional and his tearful exit with Uruguay within the group stage of the 2022 World Cup — his fourth.
But Suarez, whose thick black hair and beard are exhibiting hints of grey, has silenced skeptics along with his early performances in Brazil.
He has scored 11 objectives in 15 matches, together with 4 that secured Gremio the state winners’ cup in January and state championship earlier this month.
“No matter how much money you earn, you have to have ambition. That’s the mentality I arrived with,” he mentioned after the state championship last second leg, wherein he scored the lone objective with a penalty kick.
Suarez’s matches to this point have principally been in opposition to lowly state-level golf equipment. Things will get critical now with the beginning of the Brazilian league season.
Suarez didn’t impress in his league debut final Sunday, lacking a penalty in Gremio’s 1-0 win over Santos.
Signing Suarez has been a boon for Gremio, a once-great membership who received the Copa Libertadores in 2017 however have been relegated to the second division final 12 months.
He has additionally been a money-making machine.
Gremio went from having 63,000 members in 2022 to a document 95,000 right this moment, and common residence attendance for the state event greater than doubled to 30,000 followers, membership president Alberto Guerra informed AFP.
The membership’s retailer registered document gross sales of 9 million reais ($1.7 million) within the first quarter, practically doubling the earlier document.
That included 3,800 sky-blue Suarez reproduction jerseys that bought out in 10 days.
“The store’s sales are triple or quadruple the historic average,” Guerra mentioned.
“Suarez may be approaching the end of his career, but he still has plenty of fire left in him.”
Local look-alike
Suarez was provided more cash to play in Mexico or Europe, and flirted with the opportunity of the MLS within the United States, Guerra mentioned.
But in the long run, he opted for Rio Grande do Sul, which borders his native Uruguay.
Porto Alegre, a metropolis of 1.5 million folks, has fallen underneath his spell. Suarez has put his bad-boy status apart and proven his household man aspect right here, going out for purchasing and ice cream along with his spouse and three children.
He even has a neighborhood look-alike, 33-year-old electronics retailer worker Rafael Silva, who snaps selfies outdoors the stadium with fellow followers wowed by his uncanny resemblance to Suarez.
“Suarez has had a big impact” on Porto Alegre, Silva mentioned.
Gremio coach Renato Portaluppi mentioned town “has to tip its hat to ‘Luisito.’”
“He’s a spectacular guy. And he’s making Gremio even greater than it already is.”
