Luis Suarez has matured into a world class player that Uruguay can rely on, says national team boss Oscar Tabarez.
Speaking to reporters ahead of La Celeste's World Cup qualifier against Peru on Tuesday, the Uruguay boss lauded the 29-year-old striker for overcoming a series of controversies early in his career.
"He is a player with great experience. Every time he comes here, he does it having overcome different and fresh challenges -- at Nacional, at Groningen, at Ajax, at Liverpool and now at Barcelona," Tabarez said.
"Time brings maturity and he has it, and is always trying to improve, to be better. He has made some mistakes, but now we see he is very mature, and I think he will be in that frame of mind every match he plays now.
"For him, as for every player in the national team, to come and play here is very significant. They all have great commitment and that is what gives them momentum.
"He is in great shape, he is mentally strong, and has potential that we all hope he can show during the match.
"But we also have to take into account that there will be players eager to defend him, and that they can have a great night too."
Suarez scored the equaliser for Uruguay in Friday's 2-2 draw against Brazil in Recife to keep his nation in second place on the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying table, six points ahead of eighth-placed Peru.
Tabarez, however, has warned his players against complacency, saying that Ricardo Gareca's men still have the ability to hurt Uruguay.
"There is joy and happiness in the squad. We respect Peru a lot," he said.
"Traditionally they have great players with great technique, many of them with a lot of speed, which is something you need in modern football.
"As in every game, we will work hard to limit their strengths, and we will do what is necessary to win the match.
"That is our main goal, as we did against Bolivia on the first matchday, or against Brazil in the last one.
"Then we will see what happens, because everything we have spoken about before is relative to each match. History will be written in the 90 minutes."