Luis Suarez will be chasing redemption on Friday when Uruguay face Egypt in his first World Cup appearance since being thrown out of the tournament in 2014 for biting Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini. The controversial Barcelona striker, 31, was described on the eve of their first game in Russia as "more mature" by Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez. The next few days and weeks will be the time to prove it because Suarez will be past his prime or even retired by the time the next World Cup comes around, in Qatar in 2022. The livewire forward's history with the World Cup is a chequered one.

In 2010 -- before he became the global star that he is today -- Suarez was sent off in extra-time in the quarter-finals for stopping a certain goal with his hand and Uruguay went on to beat Ghana on penalties. He was branded a cheat in much of the world but was a hero in Uruguay. Then four years ago in Brazil, Suarez tried to take a lump out of Chiellini and was subsequently banned for several months -- it was the third time during his career that he had bitten an opponent. But from pantomime villain castigated the world over (except in Uruguay), Suarez has mostly recovered his reputation. He left Liverpool for Barcelona in 2014 for 81.7 million euros and has been a regular scorer at the Camp Nou, hitting 152 goals in 198 games for the Spanish champions and chalking up half as many assists. Suarez, who appears to have a better temperament as he ages, has been similarly prolific for Uruguay and forms along with Paris Saint Germain's Edinson Cavani one of the most potent attacking duos at the World Cup.