Luis Suarez► pushed in a wheelchair through hospital after having surgery on a knee injury

Luis Suarez faces race against time to be fit for the World Cup
The Uruguay striker to undergoes knee surgery
Suarez had surgery on a knee injury at a hospital in Montevideo on Thursday

The Liverpool striker was hurt during a training session

It is hoped Suarez will be ready to face England on June 19

Luis Suarez is in a fight to face England at the World Cup after having surgery on a knee injury on Thursday.

A large crowd gather around Suarez as he leaves hospital in Montevideo after being operated on

photographers and fans surround the ambulance carrying Suarez

The Liverpool striker’s participation in Brazil was thrown into doubt when he was hurt during a training session with Uruguay in the capital Montevideo on Thursday morning.


Initial fears were that he could be sidelined for months rather than weeks. Uruguay wasted no time sending Suarez for an operation and he had the procedure late in the afternoon.


Hordes of media and fans were gathered outside the Medica Uruguaya hospital as a hooded Suarez was escorted through in a wheelchair.


Uruguay team doctor Alberto Pan is due to hold a press conference on Friday when he will provide an update on the injury and the success of the operation.


Liverpool have been kept informed and are confident the treatment he is receiving is correct. There are no plans to send any club medical staff out to oversee his rehabilitation.


Although it is unlikely he will be ready to face Costa Rica in Uruguay’s Group D opener in Fortaleza on June 14, it is hoped he could face England in Sao Paulo five days later.


A Uruguay Football Association statement said: ‘Luis Suarez after the normal warm-up felt an intense pain in his left knee. An MRI scan confirmed partial lesion of the external meniscus.


‘He had an arthroscopy with a partial resection of the meniscus. His participation in the World Cup is not ruled out.’