Uruguay – World Cup Profile

Uruguay booked a fourth consecutive visit to the FIFA World Cup by finishing third in CONMEBOL qualification behind pace-setters Brazil and Argentina. Very much the best of the rest, it was initially a stop-start campaign from the Albiceleste. Defeat to Bolivia on matchday 14 saw legendary coach Oscar Tabarez lose his job and led to the appointment of Diego Alonso. The appointment was an immediate success and three straight wins including a narrow win against Peru confirmed Uruguay's place at Qatar 2022. 

History at the World Cup

1930 - Champions
1950 - Champions
1954 - Fourth place
1962 - Group stage
1966 - Quarter-finals
1970 - Fourth place
1974 - Group stage
1986 - Round of 16
1990 - Round of 16
2002 - Group stage
2010 - Fourth place
2014 -  Round of 16
2018 - Quarter-finals

Player to Watch 

With Uruguay's top two goalscorers of all time, Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, both 35 and playing in their last World Cup, Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde is the new talisman for this team. Now 24, the hard-working six-foot tall central midfielder is crucial for club and country. Already a Champions League winner and two-time Spanish champion, Valverde's increasingly mature performances have made him the key cog in Alonso's team.

Cabeza puesta en @aufoficial 🤜🏼🤛🏼

🇺🇾 De vuelta a la @aufoficial 🦅 Siempre es un honor 💙

🇺🇾 Back to the @aufoficial, it's always an honor 💙#ElEquipoQueNosUne #Uruguay #LaCeleste pic.twitter.com/WlpJyhjdhD

— Fede Valverde (@fedeevalverde) September 20, 2022

Group fixtures:

November 24: Uruguay v South Korea - Education City Stadium

November 28: Portugal v Uruguay - Lusail Stadium

December 2: Ghana v Uruguay - Education City Stadium