63-year-old Walter Ferreira stopped cancer treatment to help Uruguay's Luiz Suarez recover in time

Luis Suarez with Walter Ferreira

Uruguay talisman Luis suarez scored on either side of a Wayne Rooney tap-in to help Uruguay beat England 2-1 and keep their hopes of qualifying from the group of death in the World Cup alive.

There was one man Suarez couldn’t thank enough, who joined in on the celebrations later on. Walter Ferreira, the kinesiologist of the Uruguay team was the man behind the Liverpool hitman’s quick recovery from knee surgery he underwent just four weeks ago.

Suarez thanked him after the game and even during the game, he pointed to him after he scored his first goal.

Ferreira worked overtime just to get their star player on to the pitch, never being sure how long Suarez would last. As it turned out, the 27-year-old scored the winner in an enticing match against England putting all the doubts to bed and made all the hard work behind the scenes a rewarding experience.

Ferreira’s work is all the more significant because the 63-year old is going through his own cancer treatment and even travelled with the Uruguay team around Brazil to make sure Suarez played in the World Cup to help the national team in the competition.

Speaking after the match to a radio station, Ferreira said "The truth is that I am grateful, I am grateful that the coaching staff had the confidence to send Luis to work with me without any project, I could not go to the resort and he went to work in my house, that I appreciate so much.”

“The energy you put it, the lady and my family, I am a grateful heart and whom I have to really thank the doctors treating me, no I will never forget."

On Suarez and his celebration, he continued: "He deserves everything that happened because he worked a lot. if he had not worked, I would not be here today. I will never forget what happened today, I am grateful as I already said. My family always gives me strength."

Quick Links

Edited by Staff Editor