Uruguay v Ghana: What did Luis Suarez do at the 2010 World Cup and why is he being booed?

Ghana face Uruguay in Group H at the 2022 World Cup on Friday, with a place in the knockout rounds at stake.

It is only the second time the two sides have met, with the first coming in 2010, in a dramatic World Cup quarter-final which contained one of the most infamous moments in the tournament’s long history.

At the centre of it was former Liverpool and Barcelona striker Luis Suarez, a highly controversial figure in world football, with the Uruguayan denying Ghana a historic win with a last-minute red card offence which sent the African side crashing out of the tournament.

All eyes will be on him as the two sides meet again in Qatar – but what exactly did he do and what has he said about it since? Here’s everything you need to know:

What did Suarez do at the 2010 World Cup?

Ghana had reached the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and faced Uruguay for a place in the semi-finals. It was just the second time Ghana had participated in a World Cup, having made their tournament debut four years earlier in Germany.

With the whole of Africa behind them, Ghana took the lead shortly before half-time through a stunning Sulley Muntari goal from 40 yards out, before Diego Forlan pulled Uruguay level with a well-taken free-kick. Both sides had chances to win the match, but with the score still level at 1-1 after 90 minutes, it proceeded to extra-time.

In the final moments of extra-time, Ghana won a free-kick outside the penalty area. The ball was swung into the box, with Ghana’s Dominic Adiyiah heading towards goal in a desperate scramble. Suarez, who was standing on the goal line, blocked the header with both hands to save what would have been the goal to send the African side into the semi-finals.

The Uruguayan striker was shown a red card, with Ghana awarded a decisive penalty. Suarez looked to be in tears as he left the pitch, thinking he had consigned his team to defeat. However, penalty taker Asamoah Gyan blasted the spot kick against the crossbar, with Suarez gleefully celebrating the miss.

The game went to a penalty shootout, and while Gyan was successful with his penalty this time around, Adiyiah and captain John Mensah missed their attempts, sending Uruguay through to the semi-finals while Ghana crashed out.

What was the international reaction?

There was mixed reaction to Suarez’ handball across the world. While many viewed him as a villian, others claimed he was a hero who had sacrificed himself in order for his side to win.

Immediately following the game, the striker claimed: “I made the save of the tournament,” adding: “The Hand of God now belongs to me”. He defended his actions, saying he had no alternative and was acting out of instinct.

His teammate Forlan agreed that he had “saved the game”, but others labelled him a “villain” and a “cheat”, with Ghana coach claiming the incident was an “injustice”.

What has Suarez said since?

Ahead of the two teams facing each other again at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Suarez, who is playing in his fourth finals, refused to apologise for his deliberate handball, saying “it wasn’t my fault”.

“The Ghana player missed the penalty, not me,” he said ahead of the Group H match. “I don’t apologise for it. I apologise if I injure a player but I took a red card for the handball. It wasn’t my fault because I didn’t miss the penalty.”

Asked if he thought Ghana would be out for revenge, he added: “Everyone felt bad but for me I just want to get to the next stage. Revenge or not, we would go with the same determination and desire to win. I am not looking back, I don’t want to focus on the past.”

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