Luiz Suarez has tainted past at the World Cup

NIZHNY NOVGOROD, Russia — First, it was his hand. Then, his teeth. Neither Luis Suarez’s feet nor his ability to play soccer have taken center stage for Uruguay at a World Cup.

Maybe this time — now that his head is right.

Like Barcelona FC teammate and close friend Lionel Messi of Argentina, Suarez could be playing for his World Cup legacy in Russia. At best he has three games left, starting with today’s quarterfinal against France.

Messi’s failures at the World Cup have been well documented. Suarez’s experiences have been far rawer.

At both of his previous trips to soccer’s quadrennial showcase, the Uruguay striker hasn’t just left disappointed, he has left in disgrace, labeled a cheat in one and the world’s dirtiest player in the other.

“You mature, you learn things and you live in the present,” Suarez said.

In South Africa in 2010, Suarez’s defining act was to block a goalbound header from Ghana with his hand in the dying seconds of extra time in their quarterfinal. Suarez was sent off for the intentional handball, but Ghana missed the resulting penalty.

Suarez’s clear cheating and his wild celebrations on the side of the field incensed a continent as it helped Uruguay reach the semifinals at the expense of Africa’s last hope.

Four years ago in Brazil, there was an even more shocking exit: Suarez bit Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini in a group game — leaving visible teeth marks in Chiellini’s left shoulder — and FIFA banned him for nine matches and four months, ending his time at tournament. It was the third time Suarez had been banned for biting an opponent.

Now 31, Suarez is back for another go at the World Cup, maybe his last.

Speaking in advance of the quarterfinals, he seemed unaffected by his ignominious history at the tournament, answering questions from journalists about previous disciplinary breakdowns with no outward signs of discomfort. There seemed to be no attempts to hide anything, though, and he acknowledged his need as an older teammate to “set a good example to the younger ones.”

Suarez has taken steps to address his on-field behavior for Uruguay, he said, with the help of Oscar Tabarez, the coach and former teacher who has been in charge for Suarez’s entire international career.

“Tabarez helps a lot. He’s one of the best coaches in the world because of his personality, the way he helps players,” Suarez said. “Personally, he has helped me a lot. Before games, he always talks to me about what goes on in my head. That’s important to me. That talk I have with him is important.”

Defensive test

KAZAN, Russia — Forget champagne football. While the French scored four goals against Argentina to reach the quarterfinals, coach Didier Deschamps is expecting a much tighter game against Uruguay.

The 1998 champions are in the World Cup quarterfinals for the seventh time and coming off a 4-3 win in which they dominated throughout and exposed Argentina’s defensive flaws. After three unimpressive matches in the group stage, France finally made the most of its immense attacking potential as 19-year-old Kylian Mbappe became the first teenager to score more than once in a World Cup match since Pelé’s double in the 1958 final.

But Uruguay, which has conceded just one goal so far in Russia and beat European champion Portugal 2-1 to advance, has a much better defensive line marshalled by the experienced Diego Godin. France scored only three goals during the group stage and was harshly criticized by French media for what were deemed mediocre and boring displays.

Deschamps, a member of the 1998 title-winning team, was not bothered.

“Let’s try not to get carried away,” Deschamps said. “My players have ambition — me, too — but it will be a difficult match.”

Missing for Brazil

SOCHI, Russia — Brazil right back Danilo is out of the World Cup.

The Brazilian soccer federation said Danilo injured a ligament in his left ankle during practice Thursday in Kazan. He will miss today’s quarterfinal against Belgium and any other matches in Russia, though he will remain with the team while undergoing treatment.

Danilo played in Brazil’s opener against Switzerland but missed the matches against Costa Rica and Serbia because of a right hip injury that happened during practice. He recovered and was available against Mexico in the round of 16, but Brazil coach Tite kept his replacement, Fagner, in the starting lineup. Brazil won 2-0 to set up its meeting with Belgium, which beat Japan 3-2 in its previous match.

Not backing down

KAZAN, Russia — Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku won’t be heard complaining that his team’s reward for winning its World Cup group is ending up in what appears to be the far harder side of the draw and facing five-time tournament champion Brazil today.

Their quarterfinal in Kazan will bring together the two highest-ranked teams left in the tournament after 2014 champion Germany’s early exit. Brazil is ranked second and Belgium third.

At a news conference Thursday, Lukaku said Belgium’s disappointing experience at the 2016 European Championship showed nothing should be taken for granted in football and that Brazil will provide a “benchmark” for his team.

“If you want to achieve something, you have to fight for it every time,” said Lukaku, who has impressed at this World Cup with four goals and is second in the Golden Boot scoring race, behind England’s Harry Kane (six goals).