Uruguay's Luis Suarez was involved in another World Cup controversy as he appeared to bite Italy's Giorgio Chiellini during their Group D clash.

Suarez pushed his head towards Chiellini in the penalty area just before Diego Godin's Uruguay winner.

Chiellini pulled his shirt down to show the referee an apparent mark on his shoulder made during the clash.

"It was ridiculous not to send Suarez off. It is clear, clear-cut," Chiellini told Italian television station Rai TV.

"Then there was the obvious dive afterwards because he knew very well that he did something that he shouldn't have done."

After the clash between the players, Suarez, 27, went to ground holding his mouth, apparently suggesting he had been elbowed.

As the Italian ran after referee Marco Rodriguez, Uruguay forward Gaston Ramirez attempted to get Juventus defender Chiellini, 29, to cover his shoulder.

Suarez has twice been banned for biting and, at the 2010 World Cup, committed a handball on the line to stop Ghana from scoring.

Fifa will wait to receive the referee's report, with a spokeswoman telling BBC Sport: "We will gather all the necessary elements in order to evaluate the matter."

The disciplinary committee of world football's governing is responsible for "sanctioning serious infringements which have escaped the match of?cials' attention".

The chairman of the disciplinary committee can then decide to suspend the player for "up to three matches or up to two months".

Fifa vice-president Jim Boyce said: "There is no doubt Luis Suarez is a fantastic footballer but, once again, his actions have left him open to severe criticism.

"Fifa must investigate the incident seriously and take whatever disciplinary action is deemed necessary."

Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez tried to play down the incident and believes there is a vendetta from certain media towards Suarez.

"I'd like to see the images first before making any comment. If it happened, then the referee probably didn't see it," said Tabarez.

"Despite mistakes Suarez has made, he is the target of certain media, a certain press."

Uruguay captain Diego Lugano also defended Suarez, whose two goals in the tournament so far came in a victory over England, and criticised the actions of Chiellini.

"What did you see? You saw this, really? You need to show me because I didn't see anything," said Lugano.

"Did you see it today or did you see what happened in other years. You couldn't have seen it today because nothing happened.

Liverpool's Suarez was banned for 10 games for biting Branislav Ivanovic in a Premier League match in April 2013.

He was also banned for seven games for biting PSV Eindhoven midfielder Otman Bakkal's shoulder while Ajax captain in 2010.

The forward courted controversy at the tournament four years ago when he used his hand to block Dominic Adiyiah's goal-bound shot in the 120th minute.

Suarez was sent off, while Ghana missed the subsequent penalty and went on to lose the World Cup quarter-final on penalties.

BBC Sport pundit and former England international Alan Shearer believes Suarez should now be severely punished for the Chiellini incident.

"I could not believe it," he said. "The pictures are pretty damning and, if found guilty, they should hammer him.

"He has built up his reputation over the last 12 months and to come into the tournament and do that, I am lost for words.

"I can understand why the referee did not see it clearly but they can look at video evidence and there is no way he can get away with that. It is pretty clear.

"What on earth is he thinking of?"