There may have been eight years between Luis Suarez leaving Liverpool and Darwin Nunez coming to Anfield, and a 12-year age gap between the pair, but the careers of the two strikers seem firmly interwoven with one another.
Aside from both being all-action leaders of the forward line for the Reds, they are teammates for Uruguay and both featured in last night’s World Cup qualifying win over Bolivia.
The 24-year-old netted twice in his country’s 3-0 win, taking his tally to five goals in his last four caps (Transfermarkt), before being replaced by the ex-LFC and Barcelona veteran on 73 minutes.
After the final whistle in Montevideo, Suarez and Nunez exchanged a friendly few words with each other, the elder of the two wearing a beaming smile throughout as his younger compatriot took in the moment.
Liverpool fans can but imagine what a thrill it could’ve been if the pair’s Anfield careers overlapped and they were playing in the same Reds team every week…
Whilst the torch has fully passed onto Nunez as Uruguay’s leading striker, it’s still incredible to see how strong a friendship Suarez now has with his successor both on and off the pitch.
Publically praising the Liverpool striker on social media: “I have one of the best number 9s in the world ahead of me, we have to support him and enjoy him.”
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Suarez is clearly a massive fan of Nunez and what the striker is now becoming for club and country.
And this latest performance for Uruguay is only just the start for Nunez, who now returns to Liverpool in top form ahead of their biggest game of the season yet in Manchester City.
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Although there is some way to go before Nuenz can reach Suarez’s outstanding goalscoring numbers, it’s clear that the striker is finally finding his feet for Liverpool and Uruguay.
And it might not be long until Nunez is creeping up on his predecessor, with time firmly on the striker’s hands heading into the future.
