International striker Luis Suarez made his debut with Nacional when he came on as a substitute without losing 0-1 to his guest Atlético Guayanense in the first leg of the quarter-final of the Sud Americana football competition.

The 35-year-old Suarez came on for Franco Vagundes in the 74th minute, and his team fell behind with a Luis Fernando goal from the 23rd minute.

His performance, 17 years after his first appearance in the Nacional white shirt, was greeted with applause by about 30,000 spectators in Montevideo’s Grand Parc Central.

Suárez, who hasn’t played since last May, when he played in the final minutes of his former club Atlético Madrid’s La Liga game against Real Sociedad, has only had one training session with Nacional.

However, coach Pablo Repetto decided to include him in the squad for the Copa Sud Americana competition, which is synonymous with Europa League competition on the old continent.