El Pistolero: The Rise of Luis Suárez, Spain’s EURO Superstar

Luis Suárez: Spain‘s first EURO superstar

Sunday, July 9, 2023

One of the most successful footballers ever, Luis Suárez was a European champion with Spain and Inter; UEFA.com pays tribute following his death aged 88.

Luis Suárez: The Architect

Described by Alfredo Di Stéfano as “the architect”, Luis Suárez Miramontes remains one of the most decorated players in the history of the game. He won league titles in Spain and Italy, two European Champion Clubs’ Cups, the UEFA European Championship, and the Ballon d’Or.

Suárez honed his skills on the streets of A Coruna, playing with makeshift balls made from cloths. He debuted for Deportivo La Coruña in 1953 at the age of 18, but struggled to make his mark against senior players who were much older and tougher than him.

Barcelona and Herrera’s Influence

Barcelona took a chance on Suárez, and it was when Helenio Herrera arrived at the Camp Nou in 1958 that Suárez truly came into his own. The Argentinian coach instantly recognized Suárez’s potential and called him “a great organiser of teams” who “lived an exemplary life.”

Playing alongside the attacking talents of László Kubala, Evaristo de Macedo, Justo Tejada, Zoltán Czibor, and Sándor Kocsis, Suárez thrived under Herrera’s guidance. Barcelona went on to win a league and cup double in 1959 and another league title the following year.

In 1960, Suárez became the first and, so far, only Spaniard to win the Ballon d’Or, cementing his place as one of the game’s greats. Reflecting on his role in Herrera’s team, Suárez said, “I was the organiser. I started deep but covered a lot of ground and I had a wide perspective and vision. I had a change of pace, good technique and could shoot from outside the box.”

European Glory and Success at Inter

Although Suárez came close to European glory with Barcelona in 1961, losing in the European Cup final to Benfica, that summer he made a move that would further define his career. He joined his mentor Herrera at Inter for a then-record fee of 25 million pesetas, around €150,000.

Under Herrera’s guidance, Suárez played a key role in Inter’s success. With Suárez as the missing piece in Herrera’s puzzle, Inter won their first Serie A championship in nine years in 1963. The following year, they lifted the European Cup, defeating Real Madrid 3-1 in the final.

Suárez cherished his memories of the European Cup victory, particularly the final against Real Madrid. He said, “It was only then that we realized we were such a great team. We had beaten a fantastic side who had dominated European football. For me, a former Barcelona player, I got double satisfaction. I will never forget the light in the eyes of our president [Angelo Moratti] after our triumph in Vienna. If I was a painter and I had to paint ‘happiness’, I would try to reproduce those eyes.”

International Success and Coaching Career

Suárez’s ambition was not limited to success at the club level. In 1964, he helped Spain to victory at the UEFA European Championship on home soil. As the nation’s most senior player, Suárez led a young squad to victories against Hungary in the semi-finals and the Soviet Union in the final.

His success with Inter continued with another European Cup triumph in 1965, defeating Benfica. However, injury prevented Suárez from playing in the final against Celtic in 1967.

Suárez concluded his playing career at Sampdoria and later returned to Inter for three separate spells as a coach. Despite his coaching career spanning two decades, Suárez admitted that he was always more comfortable on the pitch as a player.

Reflecting on his decision to move from Spain to Italy over five decades ago, Suárez said, “I fancied the challenge of seeing if I could achieve something away from home. It was great because we won a lot of trophies and made Inter a great team.”

Throughout his remarkable career, Luis Suárez solidified his place as one of the all-time greats of football. His skills, leadership, and impact on the game will forever be remembered.