Uruguay
The Road to the 2018 FIFA World Cup
Uruguay only secured a spot at Russia 2018 in the last match of the qualification stage, although in reality their place was never much in doubt. Oscar Tabarez’s team gained 31 points in 18 matches and finished second in the South American group, behind Brazil. Striker Edinson Cavani was the top scorer in qualifying with 10 goals, ahead of Brazil’s Gabriel Jesus, Colombia’s James Rodriguez, and Brazilian striker Neymar.
Stars
The team’s biggest stars are clearly its strikers, Cavani and Luis Suarez. Cavani, 31, has continued to score freely for club team Paris Saint-Germain, even after Neymar’s big-money move to the French club, and is one of only four players to have scored over 100 goals in two of Europe’s leading leagues, Italy’s Serie A and France’s Ligue 1. Cavani also plays a key role in the national team. During the 2018 World Cup qualification stage he played in 15 matches out of 18.
Suarez, 31, is the national team’s top scorer, but managed a relatively modest five goals in qualification. However, his strike partnership with Cavani remains potent. Uruguay could do something significant at Russia 2018 – as long as the Barcelona forward does not bite anybody.
Atletico Madrid veteran Diego Godin is a pillar of Uruguay’s defense. He was made captain at the 2014 World Cup and continues to lead the team. His center-back partner is young Atletico teammate Jose Gimenez. Gimenez was still a youngster when he moved from Uruguay to Atletico, but quickly matured playing alongside his more experienced defensive partner.
Another young player worth mentioning is 20-year-old midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur. He did not play in the qualification stages, but in the summer of 2017 he moved to Juventus and is likely to see more playing time with the national team.
Coach
Oscar Tabarez is an iconic figure for Uruguay, and has been managing the team since 2006. His first tenure with the team was back in 1988, and he helped ‘La Celeste’ reach the final of the 1989 Copa America, before leading the team to the 1990 World Cup, where Uruguay made it to the round of 16.
Tabarez returned to the national team 18 years later. His comeback marked the beginning of a successful period; at the 2010 World Cup Uruguay unexpectedly reached the semi-finals, and a year later won the Copa America for the first time in 16 years.
Tabarez did not step down even when doctors diagnosed him with Guillain-Barre syndrome, an illness caused by the immune system damaging its own peripheral nerves and leading to gradual paralysis.
For a period of time, Tabarez used a wheelchair while conducting training sessions. Fortunately, his condition has improved significantly in recent months.
Past Achievements
Uruguay were the hosts and winners of the very first World Cup in 1930. Not all of the world’s strongest teams made it to South America that year, but “La Celeste’s” victory will be forever part of football history. In the semi-final, Uruguay beat Yugoslavia 6-1, and then went on to defeat Argentina 4-2 in the final.
The team did not play at the next two World Cups, but in 1950 they went to Brazil and won again, beating the host team in a memorable final game. There was no knockout stage at the tournament – only a group stage. Brazil were leading the group going into the last match, and a tie would have secured their first title. When Albino Friaca put Brazil ahead early in the second half, fans at a packed-out Maracana were ready to celebrate. But Uruguay did not give up, and came back with two goals, taking victory and the title in a huge upset seen as a national tragedy in Brazil.
That was the last time ‘La Celeste’ won the World Cup. Uruguay have since made it to the semi-finals three times (in 1954, 1970 and 2010), but every time have suffered defeat and have gone on to lose in the third place play-off. Russia 2018 will be their 13th appearance at the Finals.