Previous World Cup matches: 13
Official names2 (1930,1950)
Good finish: Winners (1930, 1950)
World Cup historyImage: W24 D12 L20
Goals have been scoredto: 87
A great success: 8-0 vs Bolivia (1950)
Player to watch: Luis Suarez
Layout: 14
Team sports: South Korea (November 24), Portugal (November 28), Ghana (December 2)
A lot has changed in Uruguay in the four years since the 2018 World Cup. Their manager of 15 years is gone, youth has grown and two of the biggest figures of the last decade are at the end of their careers.
The road to Qatar was tough for La Celeste, who were in danger of missing out on qualification at one point. But they come to the competition with hope.
“Uruguay will always try to compete in the World Cup at the highest level, try to go as far as possible and why not be champions? Because we have the players to do that,” said Luis Suarez, the country’s top scorer.
“Although we know the difficulties that every game in the World Cup brings, we always believe,” he said.
Eligible process
One of the biggest changes for Uruguay this season is the absence of Oscar Tabarez on the touchline.
The man known as “El Maestro” has been in charge for 15 years and has overseen the team’s qualification for the past three World Cups, including a third-place finish in 2010.
But Tabarez was sacked after a poor start to their 2022 World Cup campaign, which saw them drop to seventh in qualifying.
Instead, former Atletico Madrid player Diego Alonso was quick to act. Uruguay won all four of their remaining games and sealed qualification.
Unsurprisingly, Suarez was the star player for Uruguay in the qualifiers. He was the second highest, and his eight goals put him ahead of Lionel Messi and Neymar.
Who is in their group?
Uruguay is in Group H along with Portugal, Ghana and South Korea. Despite being a tough group, La Celeste has beaten all three teams in recent World Cups. They knocked Portugal out of the tournament in 2018 and beat South Korea in their round of 16 in 2010.
But the team’s debt is undoubtedly their match against Ghana.
The last time the two met was in the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup, which is best remembered for Suarez’s goal with his hands in the last minute of extra time to deny another Ghanaian goal.
This is the most famous moment in the history of the World Cup.
Suarez was sent off for a foul, but Ghana missed the ensuing penalty and lost the match on penalties. Suarez was hailed as a hero in Uruguay, but in Ghana, he remains the number one enemy to this day. The sequel to the 2010 show promises to be exciting.
Past events and appearances
Tabarez was appointed manager in 2006 after the team failed to qualify for the World Cup that year. Since then, La Celeste has participated in every major tournament on their calendar. They have qualified for each of the past three World Cups and reached the semi-finals in 2010, where they lost to the Netherlands.
Uruguay go into the World Cup in good form: They have won seven of their nine games this year, and their 1-0 loss to Iran last month was their first under Alonso.
Players beware
As the inaugural World Cup winners and two-time champions, Uruguay has a proud tradition of football. La Celeste has an important place in the national identity, and as always in the World Cup, the expectations of the fans are very high.
Suarez believes the club’s high hopes are down to its young players, who are “playing at the highest level in Europe”.
Rodrigo Bentancur has settled into Antonio Conte’s Tottenham team, Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo’s emergence last year has put former Diego Godin’s place in danger and Fede Valverde, 24, has one of the most exciting players in the world. minutes.
While the presence of Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez boosts the attack, the forward line continues to be led by the two players who have been there, they have done so.
Suarez and Edinson Cavani, both 35, have been at the heart of Uruguay’s success over the past decade, and the World Cup will be their last.
Between them, they scored nine of Uruguay’s last 13 World Cup goals. Although the nation’s hopes will fall on the side of the two, it remains to be seen if they are still strong enough to carry them.
