RIO DE JANEIRO : Dejected but defiant, and still defending Luis Suarez.Uruguay's support of the banned, biting striker was steadfast on Saturday even as the team was toothless in his absence and went out of the World Cup meekly, with a 2-0 loss to Colombia.
Among Uruguay fans in the stands, in the dressing room and in the dugout, Suarez's global pariah status is mystifying. To them, the 27-year-old player is no pariah but a footballing hero, even if the bite on an opponent will prevent him representing the national team in competitive games for more than a year.
World football's governing body acted swiftly after the bite on Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during Tuesday's Group D finale, banning Suarez for four months, disrupting his Liverpool career, as well as nine international matches.
