Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has been included in Uruguay's 23-man squad for the World Cup despite the player, who recently underwent a knee surgery, struggling for fitness.
The 27-year-old, who swept all the awards in England after scoring 31 goals from 32 appearances in the Premier League last season, had to undergo a keyhole surgery on 22 May, after sustaining a damaged meniscus in his left knee.
Despite many fearing whether the former Ajax man will be fit before the start of the World Cup, Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez has included Suarez in the 23-man squad, and is optimistic that the striker will feature in Brazil.
Cerezo Osaka striker Diego Forlan, who has also been selected in the final squad, hopes Suarez will make a speedy recovery so that he can improve Uruguay's chances at the World Cup. The 35-year-old stated that Suarez's visit to Uruguay's training complex in Montevideo raised everyone's morale.
"I want the whole team to be healthy and ready for the World Cup so I want Luis to be back and ready for that. That would be much better for all of us. Luis came to the training ground in the morning to see us," Forlan said.
"We haven't seen him for a week so it was nice to have him around again. He told us he is in good shape and recovering well and his treatment has been good. Everybody wants him to be ready."
Suarez may not feature in Uruguay's opening World Cup game against Costa Rica as the match is scheduled to begin in two weeks time on 14 June. Nevertheless, the Liverpool talisman may return to full fitness before Uruguay's matches against England and Italy on 19 and 24 June respectively.
Here is Uruguay's 23-man squad for the 2014 World Cup:
Goalkeepers: Fernando Muslera (Galatasaray), Martin Silva (Vasco da Gama), Rodrigo Munoz (Libertad)
Defenders: Maximiliano Pereira (Benfica), Diego Lugano (West Bromwich Albion), Diego Godin, Jose Maria Gimenez (both Atletico Madrid), Sebastian Coates (Liverpool), Martin Caceres (Juventus), Jorge Fucile (Porto)
Midfielders: Alvaro Gonzalez (Lazio), Alvaro Pereira (Sao Paulo), Walter Gargano (Parma), Egidio Arevalo Rios (Morelia), Diego Perez (Bologna), Cristian Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid), Gaston Ramirez (Southampton), Nicolas Lodeiro (Botafogo)
Forwards: Luis Suarez (Liverpool), Edinson Cavani (Paris St Germain), Abel Hernandez (Palermo), Diego Forlan (Cerezo Osaka), Christian Stuani (Espanyol)
