World Cup's 101 Most Memorable Moments: Suárez bites Chiellini

Editor's note: Each day between now and the kickoff of the first match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on Nov. 20, we'll unveil a different memory from World Cup history. The countdown from 101 continues with Ronaldo's redemption in 2002.

It was the bite seen ‘round the world. Toward the end of their 2014 group stage match against Italy, Uruguay striker Luis Suárez got into a tussle with Azzurri center back Giorgio Chiellini inside the box — and decided to sink his teeth into Chiellini’s shoulder.

The furious defender showed the puncture marks to the referee, while Suárez — perhaps realizing he’d bitten off more that he could chew — began theatrically checking his teeth as if Chiellini had shouldered him in the chops. Inside the stadium, it was hard to know what the fuss was about.

Outside of it, the replays beamed across the globe showed millions what had happened. But Brazil 2014 was the last World Cup not to use video assistant referees, and the man in the middle that day missed the chomp. FIFA wasn’t amused, though, banning Suárez — who had been involved in biting incidents twice before — for nine international games. 

One of the leading soccer journalists in North America, Doug McIntyre has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at multiple FIFA World Cups. Before joining FOX Sports in 2021, he was a staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre.