Barcelona striker Luis Suarez has admitted his punishment for biting Giorgio Chiellini during the 2014 World Cup was deeply hurtful to both him and his family, and has vowed to never attend another FIFA gala as a result.
The Uruguay international was banned for nine international matches -- and from all football activity for four months -- after being found guilty of biting Italy defender Chiellini during their group-stage game in Natal, Brazil, a punishment Chiellini himself called excessive.
And the former Liverpool star said on Onda Cero radio on Thursday the fallout from the incident took its toll on everyone in his family, including his children and his wife Sofia, to whom he'd lied to initially about the event.
"I suffered. I'm a human being that suffers and has feelings. My daughter was aware of what her dad was going through," said Suarez, who was forced to immediately leave the Uruguay squad because of the ban. "We were going to get on the plane on the way to Rio to play against Colombia and my family told her not to get on the plane, that her dad had to leave.
"Imagine that. It was one of the toughest days of my life. I am a father. I have feelings. Then when I came to Barcelona and I had to train in a gym because I couldn't go to the training ground. It hurt a lot. [My kids] kept asking me why I wasn't playing. To be honest, it really hurt. Above all because I am not like that, I am a softy and my family know that. My kids know that their dad is a human being and he makes mistakes and they know anyone can make mistakes.
"I hurt Sofia because I lied to her. She asked me [about biting Chiellini] and I denied it. I had trouble believing it, let alone saying it. I couldn't understand it. I hurt her because she knew I wasn't like that. [The press] even asked her how I was at home.
"They could have been thinking anything. And that hurts. Everyone has their way of playing, their character. If I wasn't as I am, I wouldn't have arrived where I here [Barcelona]."
Chiellini has harboured no ill will toward Suarez since their high-profile encounter in Brazil. However, Suarez admitted he has not sought out the Juventus defender to discuss it.
"No, no. Not at all. I've never spoke to him since," Suarez said.
Shortly after the incident, Suarez moved from Liverpool to Barcelona for around €80 million, but was quickly upset by the restrictions placed on him while with his new team as well as the case FIFA had made against him following his actions.
"You can punish someone, suspend them ... but to stop them going to a training centre, for example, to see my nephew train, that seems so unfair to me. I didn't understand it. Not at all," he said.
"Give me 10, 15, 20 games [ban], but to treat me how they treated me hurt. And when I had the trials with FIFA's lawyers, giving their reasons, it was even worse. I am aware that I made a mistake but I am also aware I am a human being.
"They have to understand that. They have to put themselves in someone's skin and realise how it hurts. I didn't go to the FIFA gala and I will never go again. I have no problem saying I will never go to a FIFA gala."