World Cup preview: Uruguay
Coach: Oscar Tabárez
Key player: Diego Forlán
Previous best: Winners 1930 & 1950
The years of 1930 and 1950 are forever etched into the hearts of Uruguayans.
Both tournaments actually represented the first two World Cups that South Americans had entered because of their withdrawals from the 1934 and 1938 events due to them being held in Europe, and then the subsequent War years.
Uruguay’s tournament successes are treasured in the country because, quite simply, they’ve never got anywhere near achieving it again, and they won’t this time either. That’s not to say that they are a poor side though, and they can boast several quality performers.
By now everyone must know that the Diego Forlán who will lead the Uruguayan line at the World Cup is a completely different Diego Forlán to the one seen at Manchester United some years ago.
After firing the goals that won Atlético Madrid the Europa League – strikes which came in a season’s total of 28 – the forward’s confidence will be sky-high heading to South Africa. Now 31, he’s matured into a player almost beyond recognition from the one seen in the Premier League, boasting movement and a finishing ability that can rival anyone worldwide. He’ll be vital to Uruguay’s hopes of qualifying for the second round, but he won’t be alone.
He’ll be joined up front by Ajax’s prolific 23-year-old striker Luis Suárez, who comes into the tournament fresh from a season in which he scored 35 goals in 33 games, attracting interest from several of Europe’s big boys in the process, while his young team-mate in Holland Nicolás Lodeiro adds a creativity and dynamism from midfield.
At the back, young goalkeeper Fernando Muslera has quickly earned a good reputation at Lazio, while captain Diego Lugano is about as clichéd a no-nonsense South American centre-back as you could wish to see. Benfica full-back Maxi Pereira loves to get forward, while defenders Diego Godín and Martin Cáceres are tough barriers to pass.
Midfielder Ignacio González was one of Dennis Wise’s infamous “YouTube players” at Newcastle United, but that hasn’t put Oscar Tabárez off him, while Diego Perez, Walter Gargano and Sebastián Eguren will all provide engine room energy.
After finishing fifth in South American qualifying, they squeezed into the finals by beating Costa Rica 2-1 on aggregate in a play-off thanks to a strike from veteran forward Sebastián Abreu. They were hardly convincing, but the job in hand was done, and they’ll be similarly focussed in South Africa.
It’s difficult to work out what would constitute a successful World Cup for the Uruguayans, as the country will be inevitably comparing their side to great teams of the past.
That almost puts them in a no-win situation, but Tabárez can hope to at least guide his side into the second round, but to get there they’ll need to get past South Africa, France and Mexico.
But the South Africans are weak, the French vulnerable and the Mexicans unpredictable.
Uruguay could capitalise on that and sneak into the second round, maybe even the quarter finals in the win their group, but they surely won’t go further than that.
Another trophy success looks a long way off, but an improvement in their last tournament showing – when they exited at the group stage in 2002 – should be bettered.
It’s not as glamorous as winning it, but it’s the best they can hope for these days.
Uruguay squad
1 Fernando MUSLERA (Lazio)
2 Diego LUGANO (Fenerbahce)
3 Diego GODÍN (Villarreal)
4 Jorge FUCILE (Porto)
5 Walter GARGANO (Napoli)
6 Mauricio VICTORINO (Universidad de Chile)
7 Edinson CAVANI (Palermo)
8 Sebastián EGUREN (AIK Stockholm)
9 Luis SUÁREZ (Ajax)
10 Diego FORLÁN (Atletico Madrid)
11 Álvaro PEREIRA (Porto)
12 Juan-Guillermo CASTILLO (Cali)
13 Sebastián ABREU (Botafogo)
14 Nicolás LODEIRO (Ajax)
15 Diego PÉREZ (Monaco)
16 Maxi PEREIRA (Benfica)
17 Egidio AREVALO-RIOS (Penarol)
18 Ignacio GONZALEZ (Valencia)
19 Andres SCOTTI (Colo-Colo)
20 Alvaro FERNANDEZ (Universidad de Chile)
21 Sebastien FERNÁNDEZ (Banfield)
22 Martin CÁCERES (Juventus)
23 Martín SILVA (Defensor Sporting)
Click here for previews of Uruguay's Group A opponents:
http://www.senore.com/World-Cup-2010-preview-South-Africa-a12290
http://www.senore.com/World-Cup-2010-preview-Mexico-a12301
http://www.senore.com/World-Cup-2010-preview-France-a12312
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