Four years ago, Claudio Suarez was all but set for his third World Cup. Mexico's unquestionable defensive leader, Suarez had been a key part of the Mexican national team since before the 1994 World Cup.
But mere weeks before the squad was set to leave to Japan, Suarez suffered a devastating injury that ultimately kept him out of the 2002 World Cup.
Suarez, now a member of Major League Soccer's Chivas USA, instead turned his focus towards his family.
"I didn't watch the games. I went on vacation," said Suarez, who took his family to Orlando, Fla. "The World Cup is so important and to be kept outside of it was a real pity."
Now, all has changed. Four years after he was left off the World Cup squad, Suarez worked his way back into shape. At 37, Suarez has shown enough over recent years, mainly during preseason training camp with Chivas USA, to work his way back into the national team picture. On April 2, Suarez was one of 26 players named to Mexico's provisional World Cup squad.
BACK IN THE MIX
The team's elder statesman is still showing he can be a valuable member of the team. Suarez joined the Mexican national team for its pre-World Cup training camp on April 16, a day after Chivas USA's league match with the
Los Angeles Galaxy. Since then, he's been on par with the rest of the team, many of whom are more than a decade younger than Suarez.
"He's played a lot of games with the national team and he is a very important player for us and for Mexico," Mexico midfielder Pavel Pardo said. "His experience is really good for the (whole) group and right now he is in shape ... He's training like a young guy and it's good for the group."
Mexico will play Venezuela on Friday night in the second-to-last friendly prior to departing to the World Cup. On May 12, Mexico is scheduled to play Congo DR in Estadio Azteca in El Tricolor's send-off match from Mexican soil. Suarez played all 90 minutes in Mexico's last friendly, a 2-1 win over Paraguay on March 29 in Chicago.
Suarez is battling for a spot on the national team. He finds himself in the mix defensively, where Mexico coach Ricardo Lavolpe has piled up a slew of players. Some, like Carlos Salcido and Ricardo Osorio are considered virtual locks to be part of the team. Others like Joel Huiqui and Mario Mendez, likely will have a more difficult fight for a roster spot while another member, FC Barcelona's Rafael Marquez, is perhaps Mexico's most important player but will not join up with the team until after the Champions League final on May 17.
WORLD CUP DREAMS
Chivas USA teammate Francisco Palencia said Suarez would be a great asset to El Tri in Germany.
"Claudio has the ability to help the team in the World Cup," said Palencia, who was teammates with Suarez on Mexico's 1998 World Cup side. "Whether he does that on the field with his experience or from the bench, the important thing is that the national team benefits."
Suarez first played for Mexico in 1992. After helping Mexico reach the Copa America final in 1993 -- the first time Mexico participated in the tournament -- Suarez was a fixture on El Tri's backline for USA 1994. Though Mexico played well -- El Tri beat Ireland and tied Italy in the group stage -- Mexico was sent packing in their first knockout game, a penalty-kick loss to Bulgaria. Suarez played all four matches.
By 1998, nothing had changed. He played every minute of every game in France as Mexico again was sent out in the Round of 16, this time losing to Germany after blowing a second-half lead.
Now, a strong showing against Venezuela could help catapult Suarez to his third World Cup. Even with his pedigree and experience -- Suarez has 174 international appearances, second-most ever amongst men -- the World Cup still stirs emotions.
"I want to be on the final list," Suarez said. "Despite having a great deal of experience in the World Cup, I still feel that same dream."
ROAD TO RECOVERY
That dream seemed like a far-fetched one four years ago. Suarez made his 170th international appearance in March 2002. Just one day before he was set to make his 171st appearance, Suarez broke his leg while training with
Mexico ahead of their April 2002 clash with the United States in Denver.
Suarez rehabilitated his injury and was close to returning to the team but then-coach Javier Aguirre did not include Suarez on the World Cup roster.
"It was a difficult moment for me because I was injured and because of the coach's decision I wasn't able to go to the World Cup," Suarez said. "I was going to see whether I was physically well but the coach did not give me the opportunity to fight for a spot on the roster."
Suarez did not play for El Tri again until 2003, when he made one appearance. In 2004, he was a surprise addition to Mexico's Copa America team but made just one appearance throughout the entire year. When he was called into his next national team camp, in December 2005, many viewed the call-up as largely ceremonial. At the time, Suarez trailed Saudi Arabian goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Deayea in international appearances by two.
That the December call-up was ceremonial turned out to have been nothing but speculation as Suarez appeared on the national team radar in March when Lavolpe called him in for the Paraguay game. Suarez spent the entire preseason with Chivas USA although a large part of that was while the club and league worked out a deal with Suarez's former side Tigres that eventually allowed Suarez to join the Red-and-White.
Ramon Ramirez, a teammate on the 1994 and 1998 World Cup teams as well as Chivas USA, said critics should not be quick to judge Suarez based on his age.
"He's always been a professional and that's what has helped him get to where he is. He has valuable technical abilities and his experience helps him tremendously," Ramirez said. "Few can say anything negative about him. He's a good teammate. He's honest, straightforward and humble. You can't judge him until you've seen him play."
The Suarez family's vacation to Florida was the starting point of Suarez's resurgence.
"First I wanted to forget about that tough time. That's why I went on vacation," he said. "I didn't want to see any of the World Cup because I was bothered. I distanced myself from soccer a little bit. Then I recharged my batteries and returned to work myself back into shape."
He played in 70 league games over the next five seasons, sitting out the Clausura 2003 season with injury. In the two Mexican league seasons in 2005, Suarez combined to play just 11 times. Still, Chivas USA sought out the veteran defender.
When he joined Chivas USA, Suarez won over his coaches and teammates with his work ethic and attitude. Suarez said the World Cup is within his reach because he made it that way.
"This call-up now is the consequence of having continued playing and having maintained myself in the best playing level," Suarez said.
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
