Montevideo (Uruguay), Jun 22 (IANS): Uruguay striker Luis Suarez broke down in tears after a training pitch belonging to his former football club Nacional de Montevideo was renamed in his honour.

Accompanied by his family on Wednesday, the Barcelona striker made an emotional speech during a ceremony in the Uruguayan capital, reports Xinhua news agency.

"I'm very grateful ... It makes me happy that my kids have been able to see where I began playing and where I grew as a footballer," the 30-year-old told a gathering.

He also had a message for members of Nacional's youth academy, who will use the facility as their training base.

"You will have some difficult moments, just like I did, but never give up," said Suarez, who made 27 appearances for Nacional before joining Dutch outfit Groningen in 2006.

The forward is currently on holiday after scoring 37 goals in 51 matches across all competitions for Barcelona in the 2016-17 season.