• World Cup

Suarez tells England he'll be ready

ESPN staff
May 27, 2014
A Portrait Of Luis Suarez

Luis Suarez has sent text messages telling his Liverpool team-mates in the England camp he will be fit to face them at the World Cup.

The Liverpool striker is a major doubt after undergoing knee surgery last week. The Uruguayan FA are confident he will recover in time to take some part in the Brazil finals but his team-mates, fearful of the impact his absence could have, say they are trying not to put pressure on him.

Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani told El Pais: "We're all a bit discouraged by what happened. Injuries are always ugly and more so at this time. We have to leave him alone now so he can have a good recovery with no anxiety on him. We wish he can join us as soon as possible."

Diego Godin, Uruguay's Atletico Madrid defender, admitted to being concerned about Suarez. "When I heard [about the injury] I said 'No, not now, please'. The truth is that I felt ill, it is something that nobody expected... He is our figurehead, our star. Now what remains is for us to support him. I've talked to him and he is very optimistic."

Suarez's Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard also admitted last weekend that missing the World Cup would "kill" the striker.

However, while Suarez is unlikely to feature in Uruguay's opener against Costa Rica on June 14, he is confident of lining up against England five days later in Sao Paulo.

Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson, one of Roy Hodgson's England squad, has said he knew Suarez would give his all in his race to be fit for next month's tournament and also expects to face him on June 19.

Henderson said: "Everybody was obviously disappointed for Luis, people that know him - maybe not us - because he is a big player for Uruguay.

"I gave him a text to see if he is doing all right and wished him good luck with whatever he has got to have done.

"But knowing the type of person he is, he is a fighter and I am sure come maybe the first game or the second game in the World Cup, he will be ready and raring to go."

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