Biting, handballs and racism: 10 Luis Suarez controversies - in pictures

The Barcelona striker is under investigation on suspicion of cheating to pass his Italian language test

July 2, 2010: Luis Suarez first entered football's collective consciousness at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. During a quarter-final match against Ghana, the Uruguay striker stopped a goal-bound Dominic Adiyiah effort on the line with his hand and was shown a red card. Former Al Ain striker Asamoah Gyan saw his resulting penalty crash against the bar, with Suarez celebrating the miss wildly on the touchline. Uruguay would go on to advance to the semi-finals via a 4-2 penalty shootout win. Getty

November 20, 2010: The first of three unsavoury incidents involving Suarez biting an opponent. During a match against PSV Eindhoven, the Ajax striker bit Otman Bakkal's shoulder during an exchange. Though it went unpunished at the time, Suarez was retrospectively banned for seven matches. Getty

October 15, 2011: Suarez was alleged to have racially abused Manchester United defender Patrice Evra during a Premier League match. Later found guilty by an independent regulatory commission, Suarez was banned for eight matches and fined £40,000 fine. Suarez still disputes this decision. Getty Images

November 11, 2011: Already facing an FA charge over the Patrice Evra incident, Suarez did his character credentials few favours when celebrating a goal against Fulham a few weeks later. The Liverpool striker made an obscene gesture to fans while celebrating a goal and was handed a one-match ban. Getty Images

February 11, 2011: The tension ahead of the first meeting between Suarez and Evra since the former was charged and found guilty of racially abusing the latter was palpable. During the pre-match formalities, Suarez refused to shake Evra's hand before kick off at Old Trafford. Getty Images

October 28, 2012: Suarez celebrated a goal for Liverpool against bitter rivals Everton by diving in front of then Toffees manager David Moyes, who had earlier claimed that ''divers'' such as Suarez were putting fans off the English game. AFP

January 6, 2013: Suarez further endeared himself to English football fans when he handled the ball in the lead up to his goal during the FA Cup third round match against Mansfield Town. Liverpool won the match 2-1, which only added additional fire to Suarez's critics. Getty Images

April 21, 2013: A second bite at the cherry (pun fully intended). Suarez bit down on the arm of Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic and then rolled around in agony to try and con the referee that he was the injured party. He escaped punishment at the time but was fined by Liverpool the following day and charged with violent conduct by the English FA. Suarez was handed a 10-match ban by an independent regulatory commission, which Liverpool opted not to appeal against. Rex Features

June 24, 2014: Suarez clashed with Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini while waiting for a cross during a World Cup group match. Replays showed that the Uruguay striker lunged at Chiellini and bit his shoulder (Chiellini showed bite marks), followed by Suarez falling and clutching his face. Again Suarez escaped punishment on the field, and Uruguay went on to win the match 1-0 to advance to the last-16, knocking the Azzurri out in the process. Two days after the match, Suarez was banned for nine international matches. Getty Images

September 17, 2020: After a relatively calm period in Suarez's career, a report from Italy ignited more controversy. Prosecutors in Perugia announced they were investigating the Barcelona star on suspicion of cheating to pass his Italian language test with the help of his teachers ahead of a proposed move to Juventus. EPA

Controversy is never far away from Luis Suarez.

From deliberately getting sent off for handball at a World Cup, biting opponents, being found guilty of racially abusing Patrice Evra, the Uruguay striker has been seminal in some of football's more unsavoury incidents over the past decade.

It was announced Tuesday that the 33-year-old is being investigated on suspicion of cheating to pass his Italian language test with the help of his teachers by prosecutors in Perugia.

The Italian exam was a first step required in order to receive a passport ahead of a potential transfer to Juventus, a move which has since been abandoned, from Barcelona.

To see a gallery of Suarez's career of misdemeanors click on the photo gallery above or swipe on your device.