Spain's former football chief will go on trial over his World Cup kissing scandal.

A judge ruled yesterday that there was “hard evidence” that the kiss Luis Rubiales, 46, gave to Jenni Hermoso, 33, was “not consensual.”

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Rubiales grabbed the striker by the head and kissed her after Spain's World Cup victory over England in Australia last year.

Ms. Hermoso later filed a criminal complaint.

A Madrid judge heard evidence to decide whether the former president of Spain's football federation should be tried for assault and coercion.

De Jorge, who has already interrogated the former football boss and his alleged victim separately in closed sessions at Spain's centralized court Audiencia Nacional, said in a five-page ruling made public today: “The investigation established the existence of solid evidence brought to light. Luis Manuel Rubiales Bejar did not give the player Jennifer Hermoso a consensus and was a one-sided and surprising initiative on his part.

“Whether there was no erotic intention or whether it was a result of the state of euphoria and excitement experienced as a result of the extraordinary sporting triumph that preceded it is something to be appreciated in a public trial.”

Rubiales, who faces up to four years in prison, denies criminal wrongdoing.

Ms Hermoso's former coach Jorge Vilda, FA marketing manager Rubén Rivera and men's team sporting director Albert Luque are now also on trial for pressuring her to say the kiss was consensual.

Joshua Ritchie is set to shake up the Love Island villa as he makes his bombshell arrival in Thursday night's episode.

In upcoming scenes, the islanders gets a surprise when Hannah Elizabeth excitably announces she's got a text to the group.

Hannah, Georgia Steel and Georgia Harrison, who is Joshua's ex-girlfriend, will get a chance to leave the villa to date the newbie.

But while they are still unaware who the new bombshell is, will Georgia H be happy to see her ex?

Hannah says: 'I've got a text…I'm shaking, I've got a text!'

The message reads: 'Islanders, Georgia S, Hannah, Georgia H, you have all been picked to go on a date, please get ready to leave the Villa. #NewBoyEnergy #GoGetItGirl'.

Meanwhile, Luis Morrison-Derbyshire, 29, continues to be torn between Kaz Kamwi and Demi Jones.

As he continues to explore a connection with both girls, Kaz makes a bold move and asks to talk on the terrace.

But Luis decides to make his move and instead pull Demi for a private chat, and things soon heat up.

Demi asks: 'How was your chat with Kaz?'

Luis replies: 'It was nice, she's a nice girl.'

Later in the evening, the islanders will immediately be asked to gather around the firepit for an announcement.

Joshua was one of the original Islanders in 2015 and has since made a name for himself on reality TV shows including Ex on the Beach and Celebs Go Dating – and because of his highly publicized romances.

He dated fellow All Stars contestant Georgia, who admitted she would be keen to couple up with him if he made an appearance, and Geordie Shore star Charlotte Crosby, 33, for two years between 2017 and 2019.

Producers are hoping that Georgia will hit it off with Joshua after Chris Taylor, who she fans, continues to pursue new arrival Molly Smith – and Josh will happily step on the toes of his fellow Islanders when it comes to finding love, declaring: 'If somebody's in a couple it definitely won't stop me. I always get what I want.'

But many fans were left baffled at the end of Wednesday's episode as they didn't know who Joshua was.

One person asked on Twitter: 'I didn't watch season 1. How's Josh like?'

While someone else posted: 'Who TF is Josh.'

Another person wrote: 'HOW do some of you not know who Josh is. Even from ex on the beach???'

Georgia was forced to deny speculation she was expecting her first baby with Joshua in 2022 after she was photographed at an event holding her stomach and joked on social media about becoming a mum.

A TV source told MailOnline: 'Joshua is the latest bombshell signing.

'He has come on board very much at the last minute, which is exactly how the show works, the producers are constantly reacting to what's happening in the villa.

'It's clear from their past that Georgia and Joshua have a spark… the hope is now they're able to explore their feelings for each other on the show.'

Speaking ahead of the All Stars series, Georgia called Joshua 'good looking' and admitted that he would pique her interest.

She said: 'Joshua Ritchie… I've dated before, he's good looking and my usual type.'

Joshua starred on the very first season of Love Island alongside All Star contestants Hannah Elizabeth and Luis Morrison-Derbyshire.

He came third on the series with Lauren Richardson, who was the ex-fling of One Direction star Zayn Malik.

Jessica Hayes and Max Morley were the first ever winners, but they didn't stay in a relationship.

LOVE ISLAND: ALL STARS CONTINUES TONIGHT AT 9PM ON ITV2 AND ITVX

Jenni Hermoso confirmed this in a court hearing her kiss with Luis Rubiales after Spain’s Women’s World Cup victory was not consensual and she was pressured to defend him amid the fallout.

The footballer appeared before a Madrid High Court judge on Tuesday to give her version of the events that followed Spain’s 1-0 win over England in Sydney in August.

Rubiales kissed Hermoso on the lips as the Spanish team received their medals and the trophy.

The former Spanish federation chief insisted the kiss was consensual and denied any wrongdoing.

He was banned from all football-related activities by global governing body FIFA and eventually resigned as president of the Spanish Football Federation.

The incident sparked outrage in the football world and triggered one of the worst crises in the history of the sport in Spain.

Hermoso filed a criminal complaint against Rubiales on September 6, and two days later, prosecutors filed a lawsuit against him for assault and coercion.

The alleged coercive act was related to Rubiales pressuring Hermoso to speak out in his defense after he was criticized for his behavior.

During her three-hour court appearance on Tuesday, Hermoso confirmed the same version of events she previously told prosecutors, stating that the kiss was “unexpected and not consensual at any time,” according to Marca.

As she left the court, Hermoso told the media, “Everything went well. I wanted to wish you a happy new year. Everything is in the hands of justice.

‘Thank you very much for the support you have given me and for the fact that many of you have handled things so well. I can appreciate.

“The process will take its course.”

The judge will also hear testimony from other World Cup-winning players, coaches and federation officials before making a decision.

Spanish media said Hermoso had asked the judge to keep her court appearance as private as possible.

She arrived in a gray coat and waved to journalists before entering the court through one of the main entrances with her lawyers.

Under a sexual consent law passed last year, Rubiales could face a fine or prison sentence of one to four years if found guilty of sexual assault.

Hermoso has described the kiss as “an impulsive, sexist act, misplaced and without any form of consent on my part.”

In September, Rubiales was served with a restraining order and is currently prohibited from being within 200 yards of 33-year-old Hermoso.

Hermoso, 33, the Spanish women’s team’s record scorer, said last year that she had received threats over the fallout from the kiss, although she did not elaborate.

Hermoso became somewhat of a celebrity in Spain after coming forward to denounce the kiss and help promote a ‘Me Too’ movement in the country. She was one of the New Year’s Eve presenters on public television on Saturday and called for a 2024 with more equality.

The boycott of the national team ended last year after players received guarantees of change within the federation following the intervention of government officials.

FIFA banned Rubiales for three years until after the men’s World Cup in 2026. His ban expires before the next women’s tournament in 2027.

In November, Hermoso told Spanish magazine GQ: “I forgot for a while that I was a footballer.

‘But you go back to training, to the field, with your kit on, and you try to be the best version of yourself again.

‘As a Taurus, I see that I have to fight, but also protect myself. When I want something, I go after it no matter how many times I fail and hit myself against the wall.

‘It helped me achieve everything I wanted to achieve in football.’

Joe Giudice reunited with his daughters over the holidays.

The former reality star, 51, who rose to fame alongside his former wife, Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Giudice, 51, welcomed his ex to the Bahamas for the much-anticipated family reunion.

There he met daughters Gia, 22, Gabriella, 19, Milania, 17, and Audriana, 14.

The Giudice sisters were dressed in their Christmas costumes in front of a Christmas tree with their father, who was dressed in a Burberry checked shirt and black pants.

Teresa joined the group and once again wore a black and white evening dress so the girls could have their picture taken with both their parents.

Both were posted to Joe’s Instagram account on Thursday.

Joe, who was deported from the US in 2019 after serving three years in prison for fraud, has been banned from entering the country.

He and Teresa finalized their divorce in 2020.

Joe now calls the Bahamas home.

In a performance at Teresa’s Namaste B$tches podcast, Joe explained that he chose the island because its proximity to the US would make it much easier for his daughters to visit.

He also works in construction. “This is what I grew up doing, like building and renting, this is what I did in the United States,” he said, “it’s an easy job. I’m not complaining. I get a salary and we are partners for other things I bring in, like stucco work.”

One photo shared to Joe’s Instagram Stories features a photo of Teresa and her ex surrounded by their daughters.

Another shows a larger family gathering with Teresa’s husband Luis “Louie” Ruelas in the center.

Both men have formed a bond since Louie and Teresa tied the knot in a lavish ceremony in August 2022.

According to an appearance by the RHONJ star on the Whine Down podcast, it was Louie who made the first move.

“He said, ‘Honey, don’t you understand?’ I want to be good with Joe because then the girls feel comfortable,” she said.

A video labeled ‘Family’ and shared by Milania on her Instagram Stories shows that the group also includes Louie’s sons Nicholas and Louie Jr. sat, enjoying a big and loud family dinner.

Louie has received high marks from the 17-year-old who was a guest on her mother’s podcast earlier this year.

“Louie is such a great stepdad. He really is,” she said. “So, he’s a great guy.”

Uruguayan international Luis Suarez joined MLS club Inter Miami from Brazilian club Gremio, where he scored 26 goals and led them to two titles this year.

New Delhi: Uruguayan soccer player Luis Suarez will reunite with former Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, the Major League Soccer club announced Friday. The former Liverpool striker signed the contract for the 2024 season. Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, who were teammates with Suarez at Barcelona, ​​​​are also currently at the club. Suarez joined Inter Miami from Brazilian side Gremio after scoring 26 goals and setting up 17 goals to lead them to two titles this year.

“I am very happy and excited to take on this new challenge at Inter Miami. I can’t wait to get started and I am ready to work to make the dream of winning more titles with this great club a reality,” Suarez said in a statement.

Suarez and Messi spent six seasons together at Barcelona, ​​winning four La Liga titles and nine other trophies during that period, including a Champions League title. Suarez is coming off a season in which he was the best player and best striker in the Brazilian league with Gremio.

There had been speculation for months that Suarez would join Inter Miami, especially given his relationship with Messi. Inter Miami won its first trophy last season – the Leagues Cup – shortly after Messi arrived, his signing part of a reorganization that brought elite talents such as Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba to the club, along with coach Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino. Busquets and Alba also played for Barcelona in addition to Messi, and Martino is a former Barcelona coach.

“I will give everything to bring joy to these great fans that I have heard so much about while wearing the colors of Inter Miami, and I look forward to getting together again with great friends and players,” said Suarez. “I’m also looking forward to meeting my new team.

With AP inputs

Queen Letizia was branded ‘daughter of ab****’ by a top government politician, it has been sensationally claimed.

Spain’s Secretary of State for Sports, Victor Francos, is said to have used the swear word when the ‘kissgate’ scandal broke out after the Women’s World Cup final.

Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales was banned for three years in October after kissing Spanish midfielder Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the champions’ medal ceremony in Sydney, Australia, which was also attended by Letizia.

The astonishing claim about Francos – who has since announced his resignation as Spain’s president of the Higher Sports Council – emerged during Rubiales’ second interview since stepping down in September.

Alvise Perez, a former adviser to the centrist political party Citizens and now a political influencer, asked Rubiales about Francos’ alleged comment during their YouTube interview that was streamed live on Tuesday.

Perez warned Rubiales that he was about to ask an “uncomfortable question” and claimed that his information came from well-placed sources within the Spanish national football team: “Reliable team sources say voice messages from the current Spanish Secretary of State for Sports, Victor Francos, exist in which on the plane back from Australia, in messages in a group where you can also hear your voice, Mr Francos himself says, and I quote textually: ‘Queen Letizia ‘was a daughter of ab****.’

Rubiales replied, “I don’t remember the voice messages and I’m not going to talk about voice messages.

“There were TV cameras and there were people and there may or may not be voice messages, but these things annoy the hell out of me.

“If there are voice messages, people should publish them, and if they’re not going to publish them, they should keep quiet.”

Asked by Perez if he remembered Victor Francos using the insult attributed to him, Rubiales insisted: “I’m not going to talk or get involved in any more issues.

“He’ll know what he’s saying when he talks about the Queen, and if anyone wants to report it, let him do it, and if he doesn’t want to report it, don’t.

‘I have no voice message from him, I know exactly what he said and that’s it. He knows, he knows better than anyone, how he is referred to someone and in what way.’

In a statement translated from Spanish to English shared on December 14, Francos said: “Today I would like to announce my resignation as president of the Higher Sports Council, a thoughtful decision that takes into account professional reasons.

‘We are at the beginning of the XV legislature and with it the formation of a new government, which heralds a period of stability in Spanish sport.

‘Due to my desire, which I have already expressed to Minister Pilar Alegría, to take on new professional challenges, it is time that the Supreme Council of Sport gets a responsible person who will take on the new challenges of this institution over the next four years to take.

‘Personally, I am closing an exciting phase in national politics that began with Minister Salvador Illa, in March 2020 at the Ministry of Health, who faced the pandemic that we were all suffering, in the greatest challenge any public servant would face can get.

‘Later, with Minister Miquel Iceta, first at Territorial Policy and Public Function and then at the Ministry of Culture and Sports, ending this phase as President of the Higher Sports Council, where I tried to contribute to the development of the public sports policy of this government, the most ambitious in the history of Spanish sport.

“I would like to thank the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, for his repeated expressions of confidence at this stage of my institutional life.

‘Also to the ministers with whom I have worked, for giving me the opportunity to develop my vocation as a civil servant in a progressive and transformative project for Spain.’

He did not comment on the alleged remark about the Spanish queen.

Rubiales’ actions after Spain were crowned world champions led to a rebellion from players allegations of sexual abuse.

The claims about comments allegedly made by Mr Francos come amid a tumultuous time for Spain’s royal family.

The Royal Family has recently been rocked by shocking claims from businessman Jaime Del Burgo, who sensationally claimed he had a relationship with 51-year-old Letizia before and after her marriage to King Felipe.

Del Burgo subsequently married Letizia’s sister, Telma Ortiz, from whom he is now divorced. The Spanish court has repeatedly refused to comment on the allegations.

In a new twist, a veteran Spanish journalist has accused supporters of the former king, who is all but excluded from the royal family, of mounting a ‘campaign’ against his son Felipe.

Referring to the claims, popular radio host Federico Jiménez Losantos said: “It’s the ‘nth’ campaign against Felipe VI,” before adding: “It’s Juan Carlos’s circles that are stirring things up.”

There may not be a soccer player on the world stage more divisive and controversial than Uruguay’s Luis Suarez. Throughout the course of his 18-year career, the 36-year-old forward who is finalizing a move to Inter Miami has been accused of racism and called a cheat. He has been banned on three separate occasions for biting opponents during matches, both at the club and international levels. Many fans around the world see him as the devil incarnate. 

Suarez is also among the best goalscorers that the sport has ever produced. 

The anthology of his career exploits is best summed up by his numerous nicknames. Suarez was the “S” in “MSN” — the acronym used to describe the legendary three-man Barcelona strike force of Lionel Messi, Suarez and Neymar. His oldest nickname relates to his signature goal celebration. He points both hands like he’s carrying two guns and fires off several imaginary rounds, earning the moniker “El Pistolero” (The Gunman) for his lethal scoring talents. But in 2010, Suarez was also dubbed the “Cannibal of Ajax.” 

He was the captain of Dutch giants AFC Ajax that season when he inexplicably bit PSV Eindhoven’s Otman Bakkal on the shoulder during a match. The incident occurred inches away from the referee, but Suarez was not punished. 

| Terug naar 2010, toen Nederland voor het eerst kennismaakte met de bijtgrage Luis Suárez…#ajapsv #suarez #bakkal pic.twitter.com/ptxT22xpLN

— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) March 29, 2019

There was no video assistant referee (VAR) at the time, but because of the overwhelming video evidence, Ajax suspended Suarez for two matches after the incident. The Dutch Football Federation then charged Suarez with committing a violent act and doubled down by handing the Uruguayan a seven-game ban of their own. He would not play again for Ajax, but his more than 80 goals across four seasons caught the eye of Liverpool. Despite that biting incident and subsequent suspension, the Premier League club signed Suarez in the winter of 2011. 

Further controversy soon followed. During a match against rivals Manchester United that season, Suarez was accused of using a racist slur toward United defender Patrice Evra, who is Black. Evra said that Suarez had referred to him using the N-word. Suarez in turn admitted to saying “negro” (pronounced “neh-gro” in Spanish) in the same way a Spanish speaker may refer to someone as “flaco” (skinny) or “rubio” (blonde), he claimed. 

Backed by Liverpool, Suarez maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty when the English FA began its investigation. He was ultimately given an eight-match ban for racially abusing Evra. In a 2014 book written by Suarez titled “Crossing the line: My Story,” Suarez insisted that he is not a racist. 

“I was horrified when I first realized that is what I was being accused of,” Suarez wrote. “And I’m still sad and angry to think that this is a stain on my character that will probably be there forever. Put ‘Luis Suárez’ into an internet search engine and up comes the word ‘racist.’ It’s a stain that is there forever. And it is one that I feel I do not deserve.”

Two seasons later, Suarez attacked Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic with another ferocious bite to the forearm. A horrified Ivanovic fell to the ground as Suarez acted as if nothing had happened. But, once again, consequences soon followed. Suarez was handed a 10-game ban.

Suarez phoned Ivanovic after the bite and apologized. The Serbian defender would later refer to the ordeal as “really strange.” 

 “When it happened I was surprised and angry. But after the game I calmed down and all was forgotten,” Ivanovic said. “We spoke on the phone, I accepted his apology, the police did not press charges.”

A little over a year later, at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Suarez bit Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini on the shoulder during a group stage match in Natal. Suarez’s chomp was clear as day, and despite the tooth marks on Chiellin’s shoulder, Suarez again escaped the referee’s punishment in the moment. 

“Dare I say it. He’s had a little bite at Chiellini,” said television analyst Stuart Robson that day, after the broadcast replayed the moment. “Surely not again. Surely. Not. Again,” replied commentator Jon Champion, clearly stunned by what he had witnessed. Soon after, FIFA suspended Suarez for nine games, ending his World Cup, plus an additional four-month ban from club and international soccer. 

Four years earlier in South Africa, Suarez was branded a cheat by an entire continent. During an intense World Cup quarterfinal between Uruguay and Ghana, Suarez intentionally handled the ball inside his own penalty area in a desperate bid to prevent what would have been a decisive goal for Ghana. With the match tied 1-1 late in extra time, Suarez parried away Dominic Adiyiah’s header with both hands, preventing a surefire winner for the African nation. A penalty was awarded to Ghana and Suarez was sent off, leaving the field in tears. 

With the chance to secure the first-ever World Cup semifinal berth for an African country, Ghanaian striker Asamoah Gyan clattered his penalty kick off the crossbar. Suarez, who had made his way to the stadium’s tunnel following his ejection, ran out and celebrated, to the ire of Ghanaian faithful. Uruguay would win in a penalty shootout and advance to the semifinal. 

If Diego Maradona’s goal against England at the 1986 World Cup was deemed the Hand of God, Suarez’s two-handed goal line save was quite the opposite. 

“The whole of Ghana hates him and the whole of Africa hates him,” former Ghana midfielder Ibrahim Ayew told The Athletic last year. 

Uruguay and Ghana met again at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in the final match of the group stage for both teams. Naturally, talk of revenge for Ghana dominated the headlines. The day prior to the match, Uruguay surprisingly made Suarez available to reporters, fueling the fires for one of the tournament’s most anticipated clashes. Inside a nearly packed auditorium at the Qatar National Convention Center, Suarez held court. 

Right away, a Ghanaian reporter referenced the handball, asking Suarez if he had ever considered apologizing for that decision. The reporter told Suarez that in Ghana, Suarez was considered “el diablo, or the devil himself.” Mild laughter was heard from those in attendance. Suarez, though, never cracked a smile. 

“The first time, I didn’t apologize about that because I took the handball, but the Ghana player missed a penalty. Not me,” Suarez replied in English. “Maybe I can apologize if I make a tackle, injure the player and take a red card. Maybe I would apologize. But in this situation I took the red card. The referee called a penalty. It’s not my fault because I didn’t miss the penalty. The player who missed the penalty, he’d do the same (as me) in this situation. It’s not my responsibility to shoot the penalty.”

Suarez then accepted that he had “f—ed up” when he bit Chiellini in 2014. “Did I mess up? Yes. I accepted it,” Suarez said. There was no apology for Evra, however. Uruguay would go on to defeat Ghana 2-0 behind an inspired Suarez. But the win wasn’t enough. Uruguay were eliminated in the group stage on goal differential. Ghana, too, were out of the World Cup, but the Ghanaian fans cheered when a tearful Suarez was shown on the stadium’s big screen.  

The Ghanaians will always view Suarez as a lawbreaker, but the Uruguayan remains a respected and revered player in Liverpool and Catalunya. After winning his first European Golden Shoe (given to the top scorer on the continent) with Liverpool in 2014, Suarez joined Barcelona that summer and clicked immediately with Neymar and Messi, his good friend. Suarez was clearly one of the best strikers in the world — a tenacious goal scorer and a big-game performer. He scored 198 goals in six seasons for the Catalan club, forming a telepathic relationship with Messi on the pitch, and close bond with the Argentine and his family off it. 

Suarez won four La Liga titles, another European Golden Shoe, and a Champions League trophy with Barcelona. His intelligent movement and clinical finishing made him a centerpiece of every team he played for, enticing clubs to look past his list of transgressions. However, the combination of relentless production and nefarious behavior cemented Suarez as one of the game’s great villains in the eyes of many around he world. 

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After the World Cup in Qatar last year, Suarez, then a free agent, returned to his boyhood club Nacional de Montevideo to a hero’s welcome, complete with a viral social media campaign that captivated the soccer world. Nacional is one of Uruguay’s biggest clubs and a three-time Copa Libertadores champion. Suarez debuted for Nacional as an 18-year-old in 2005.

Today Suarez is a club legend. He solidified that status after he led Nacional to a league title last fall. Curiously, his brace last October against Uruguayan side Liverpool (not to be confused with Suarez’s previous employer in England) clinched the league championship. Suarez then moved to Brazilian club Gremio in January of this year. Gremio is a former South American powerhouse that was relegated to Brazil’s second division in 2021. There, too, Suarez became a club idol. He finished with 27 goals in 52 appearances with Gremio, adding two domestic trophies. 

When Messi signed for Inter Miami last summer, reports immediately linked old friend Suarez with a move to south Florida. A reunion with Messi felt inevitable when the Argentine’s former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba quickly joined him. However, Suarez, who acts as his own agent, continually denied speaking to Miami. He also told reporters in Brazil in July why he had sought to end his contract with Gremio one year early, which raised questions about his view of the standards of MLS. 

“I feel that next year I will not be able to perform due to my fitness and the high demands of the Brazilian championship, which is why the club and I have spoken about ending my contract (with Gremio) a year early,” Suarez said. “That would be in December (of 2023). The club agreed and I’m grateful to them. I don’t know if I’ll continue to play somewhere else because I have a chronic issue with my knee that you all know about.”

Yet, he’s now set to continue his career in MLS. 

Uruguayan journalist and television commentator Rodrigo Romano, who has followed Suarez’s career from the start, calls Suarez “a peculiar person” and someone who is prone to emotional outbursts. That doesn’t diminish his standing in Uruguay, though.

“Luis is an icon,” Romano told The Athletic. “And that goes beyond the historical statistics that he holds as the national team’s all-time leading goal scorer. He has a unique sporting resilience that allows him to get up when he’s knocked down and do fantastic things. I think he’s the most important striker in the history of Uruguayan football. That’s the best way to define Suarez.”

In 2011, Suarez helped Uruguay win their 15th Copa América title and was named the tournament’s best player, one year after Uruguay’s semifinal run at the World Cup. The national team has always been Suarez’s refuge — an insulated environment devoid of criticism. Thanks to his success with his country, Suarez became the rare player who could play for Nacional and still be respected by fans of archrival Peñarol whenever he wore the Uruguay shirt. 

“That’s very unique,” Romano said.

“Suarez always found a special place within the national team in spite of the badge that he represented,” continued Romano. “From day one, the people in Uruguay have protected him. He has always been embraced by the fans in Uruguay.”

That support came during Suarez’s darkest moments. He isn’t a villain in his home country. Suarez’s attitude and fighting spirit are embraced as part of the garra Charrúa — Uruguay’s sporting identity, one of perseverance and courage. 

“The people in Uruguay backed him after the incident with Chiellini at the World Cup in Brazil, and after the accusations of racism towards Patrick Evra, which could never be proven,” said Romano. “He was persecuted in England and that created a sense of victimization. That’s what happened with Luis.” 

Suarez’s international future was in doubt after the 2022 World Cup. And when Marcelo Bielsa took over as the national team’s manager in May, bringing with him his traditional high-tempo, high-pressing tactics, Suarez’s regular place in the team was in jeopardy. 

After the first four matches of the South American 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Suarez was not called up. Bielsa finally included Suarez in round five against Argentina, a match that Uruguay won 2-0 in Buenos Aires. Suarez did not play, but he was briefly reunited with Messi. 

The former Barcelona teammates hugged each other before the match, and will now begin the final chapter of their careers together in MLS. Suarez is coming to America, but not to rescue his career. Not to reshape his image, either. 

Suarez is coming to MLS to be who he has always been — a dangerous player in more ways than one. 

(Top photo: Richard Ducker/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

Josher Jesus Brito Diaz thought nothing of it when his phone began to ring.

As the man in charge of his cousin’s charity — the Luis Diaz Esperanza Foundation — and part of the Liverpool winger’s immediate circle, life is always busy. Such is the reality of being in the first family of La Guajira, the remote region in northern Colombia that calls Diaz its most famous son.

On Sunday, October 29, Josher’s uncle Gaby was up for election to a council seat in Barrancas, a town dominated by the Cerrejon open-cast coal mine where both Josher and his footballer cousin were born. The Saturday had been a day of frantic activity for Josher — driving, carrying and fetching. Diaz’s parents, Luis Manuel Diaz and Cilenis Marulanda, had also been assisting.

“We were preparing for the elections the next day,” Josher tells The Athletic. “Organising the logistics, transporting people to the polling station. My phone kept ringing, but I had no idea why.

“I picked up 30 minutes later. That’s when they told me: ‘Your uncle Luis has been kidnapped’.”

Over the next 12 days, Josher took on the responsibility of becoming the intermediary between police and the Diaz family at the heart of the biggest story in Colombia and world football.

These stories do not always end happily — but, last Thursday, November 9, Luis Manuel was released by the ELN (National Liberation Army/Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional), a left-wing guerrilla group described as a terrorist organisation by Colombia, the United States and the United Nations.

This week, Diaz returns to Colombia for the first time since the kidnapping as his national team hosts Brazil in a World Cup qualifying tie in the northern city of Barranquilla on Thursday. Diaz’s father, nicknamed Mane, once sold street food to pay for his son to travel for trials in that city — he would eventually join Atletico Junior, Barranquilla’s biggest club, at 17.

Even after his son’s success, Luis Manuel continued to live in Barrancas, where he had founded a small soccer school for the children of workers at the imposing Cerrejon mine — one of the largest in the world. That one school has evolved into around 15 different programs. After his son, Luis Manuel is one of the most popular and high-profile figures in the region, and the community united in the search for him and rejoiced at his rescue.

Last Friday, Luis Manuel gave a short, tearful press conference in which the 58-year-old briefly described his order as “a very difficult time” in which he was made to walk “too much”.

Now, for the first time, the family reveals the full details of the kidnap and the release — of being carried deep into the jungle on mules and stolen motorbikes, and tense negotiations.

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Luis Manuel and Cilenis were abducted near a petrol station, where they were forced into a car by a small group of men and driven towards the nearby border with Venezuela. When Josher arrived at the scene of the crime, the pursuit sprang into action.

“I went out with the car to the place where it happened,” says Josher. “My uncle’s daughter was there, she explained to me and we immediately activated: ‘Let’s go to such and such a place, some to this side, some to that side, some to that side’.

“We left (to search). The police were already in contact, but I called some acquaintances and friends, who contacted the captain in Barranquilla, who then called the Guajira Seccional (armed unit) here. They immediately activated the ‘padlock plan’ to follow up and pursue the captors.”

Ninety minutes later, the police located the kidnappers’ car — abandoned, with Cilenis inside. But Luis Manuel was still missing. According to Josher, the group who initially took Diaz’s parents were not ELN, but “common criminals”.

Kidnappings have been on the rise across Colombia in recent years. According to the nation’s police, the number of abductions spiked by 93 per cent in the first half of 2023.

La Guajira is particularly at risk. It is an isolated region of a highly centralised country, with a long and forested border with Venezuela that provides a perfect escape route for criminal gangs. This geography is why guerrilla groups, such as the ELN and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), as well as far-right and drug-affiliated paramilitaries, have been active in the area for so long.

In 2004, when Diaz was seven years old, the right-wing Northern Bloc group killed 60 Wayuu people — the indigenous tribe to which the Diaz family belongs — in the nearby village of El Salado. According to statistics from 2019, La Guajira was the most violent region of Colombia, with a homicide rate of 73.1 per 100,000 people.

“My aunt (Cilenis) said that they (their abductors) were not people from Colombia but that they were foreigners, Venezuelans, and they spoke in a Venezuelan dialect,” says Josher. “They threatened them, and told them to keep their heads down so they wouldn’t see where they were going with the car.”

After parking the car in a remote area, the kidnappers flagged down a passing local, stealing his motorcycle so they could take Luis Manuel deeper into the mountains.

Josher travelled in convoy with the police until they found the motorbike, also abandoned even deeper into the forests of the Perija mountains. From there, the journey had to be on foot — and only specialists could continue the search. The operation was handed over to the military, with the family no longer able to be involved in actively looking for Luis Manuel. It was one of the most dispiriting moments of the entire 12 days.

“The days of waiting, of anxiety, of anguish began,” says Josher. “The first two days were quite horrible because we didn’t know anything, (the police) were still looking for him and the family was in agony. “We didn’t know who had him and where they were taking him.”

By this point, news had spread internationally.

With eyes already on Colombia due to the elections, political figures raced to condemn the kidnap. President Gustavo Petro provided live updates on his Twitter feed, while a reward of around $48,000 (£40,000) was offered as hundreds of police and military personnel were drafted into La Guajira.

Five thousand miles across the Atlantic, a worried Diaz was receiving updates from relatives. Liverpool had a home match against Nottingham Forest that Sunday — it was still early morning in the UK as Diaz followed proceedings, praying for good news. It fell to Josher to keep him informed about the police’s updates.

“Because he was far away, he couldn’t do much, but he did help to communicate with the high hands of the government so that they would activate a strong plan to be able to recover his father,” Josher explains. “But at the time, we were all just ‘Run! Run!’ to get my uncle back.”

Diaz was warned against travelling back to Colombia by police, and did not play against Forest that day, instead returning to his home in Crosby, around five miles north of Anfield.

He was supported by Liverpool extensively throughout the 12 days, feeling comfortable enough to return to the squad for a match against Luton Town on November 5. After scoring a late equaliser off the bench in that 1-1 draw, he lifted up his team jersey to reveal a T-shirt underneath.

“Libertad Para Papa,” was printed on it — Freedom for Dad.

What a moment for Luis Diaz after the week he has had

On as a second half substitute, he equalises for Liverpool in stoppage time against Luton.

FT: Luton 1-1 Liverpool#LUTLIV

@SkySportsPL pic.twitter.com/IcwKE6imJT

— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) November 5, 2023

“He had all the help he needed,” said Josher. “Also the fans, they supported Luis so much, the moral support, the support he needed at that moment… he noticed that he never walked alone.”

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In the borderlands between Colombia and Venezuela, Luis Manuel’s captors led him deeper into the forest. He was blindfolded, travelling on scarcely-defined paths, up and down huge elevations. At one point, his captors found a mule to relieve some burden.

“He was doing badly,” says Josher. “He was under orders: ‘Walk! Walk! Walk!’.”

Exhausted, he was able to eat regular food. The most pressing medical issue was dehydration, exacerbated by the vast travel distances.

But three days into his order, things changed, with Luis Manuel finding himself transferred to the ELN. It is unclear whether the ELN intercepted the convoy, or whether the original kidnappers took him to the guerrilla force in the hope of receiving their own reward.

A government delegation has said it had “official knowledge” that the kidnapping had been carried out by “a unit belonging to the ELN”, but Josher offers a different version of events.

“When he had been kidnapped for about three days, the ELN intercepted him and took him away from them (the common criminals); that is, they gave him to the ELN,” he said. “When he was handed over to the ELN, they treated him better. He never felt badly treated by them.”

The ELN, active since the 1960s, has been embroiled in an armed struggle against the Colombian government for decades. With the country generally led by right-wing presidents — although Petro, its current leader, is a leftist — the group wants to implement an ideology based on communism and liberation theology across the country.

Petro, a former member of another left-wing guerrilla movement, the M-19, came to power in August last year with a promise to end the bloodshed. A six-month truce was agreed this July, with hopes of a more lasting ceasefire ongoing.

According to Josher, the ELN did not initially realise the identity of its captive.

“When the ELN issued the communique, we were reassured because we said, ‘They have him, there may be a quick release because of the peace process’,” Josher says.

“They said they were going to release him (his uncle) because first, they asked, ‘What is his name?’. They realised it had been a mistake to kidnap him, that he was Luis Diaz’s father, and that they were going to start the process to free him, but that it would take time.

“(The original captors) wanted to ask for money for him, taking advantage of the elections, but after the ELN grabbed him, thank God they didn’t give any money for that.”

The Colombian government also says no ransom demands for Luis Manuel were made.

Then began a process of slow negotiation.

The ELN confirmed it had Luis Manuel, and that it wanted to release him, but demanded safety guarantees. In response, around 200 soldiers searching for him close to the border with Venezuela retreated to Barrancas.

“I was always keeping an eye on the process, how it was going, talking to the authorities,” says Josher. “When the next communication came out, the issue of the release, we were more patient. We were still anxious because we didn’t have him, but we were more patient — we waited, we had to wait and the process took time. But it was quite difficult.

“My mother, my other aunts and his sister also suffered, but they were attached to God, so that everything would go well, always in prayer, praying everything would go well.”

Once an agreement was reached, the practicalities came next.

A remote location in the mountains was chosen for a handover, and Luis Manuel was left there by the ELN. Bishops from the Colombian church formed a humanitarian commission in charge of facilitating the release between the government and the devout ELN.

¡Damos gracias a Dios por la liberación del Sr. Luis Díaz! Con él ya se encuentran Mons. Francisco Ceballos, obispo de Riohacha y Mons. Héctor Henao, delegado para las relaciones Iglesia-Estado, quienes conformaron la comisión humanitaria encargada de facilitar su liberación. pic.twitter.com/KK6SOvcyca

— Conferencia Episcopal de Colombia (@episcopadocol) November 9, 2023

“It took several days of walking to get to the place where the helicopter picked him up,” says Josher. “When he was released, we were at the UN (United Nations) office in Valledupar (a city near the border with Venezuela) and he was on a video conference so that when he got there, we could see him there right away.

“The moment was one of happiness and joy, short words: ‘I love you’. ‘Thank you, Son’. ‘Here we are’.”

Last weekend was too soon for Diaz’s parents to travel to England to watch their son play against Brentford at Anfield. Instead, Luis Manuel recovered at home, watching as Diaz entered as a late substitute in the 3-0 home victory. They will travel to Merseyside after the international break.

This meant the meeting took place on Colombian soil, in Barranquilla, at Diaz’s first professional club. Both father and son were in tears as they met at Colombia’s training camp on Monday evening, with Diaz also embracing Francisco Ceballos, one of the bishops integral to the rescue.

Gracias Dios por permitirnos estar juntos de nuevo en familia pic.twitter.com/3bIl4YUHga

— Luis Fernando Díaz (@LuisFDiaz19) November 14, 2023

“My dad is my hero,” Diaz said a few years ago. “He taught me how to play.”

For almost two weeks, Luis Manuel, rather than his world-famous child, became the story.

The relief is he can now step back out of the spotlight, and continue to watch the son he inspired.

(Top photos: Getty Images; design: Sam Richardson for The Athletic)