Disgraced Uruguay striker Luis Suarez apologised Monday to Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini for the bite that saw him expelled from the World Cup.

"I apologise to Giorgio Chiellini and the entire football family," said a statement on Suarez's official Twitter account, which acknowledged for the first time that there was "a bite."

"I vow to the public there will never again be another incident like" it, he added.

Suarez was handed a four month ban from all football activitie and suspended from nine internationals. It was his third offence of biting an opponent.

But Suarez said "I deeply regret" the clash with Chiellini.

"The truth is that my colleague Giorgio Chiellini suffered the physical result of a bite that occurred in the collision he suffered with me," said the statement.

Suarez, who flew into a hero's welcome in Montevideo after being expelled, issued the statement from his family's home.

"After several days of being home with my family, I have had the opportunity to regain my calm and reflect about the reality of what occurred during the Italy-Uruguay match on June 24, 2014."