Uruguay: The little giant looking to reign as King of the Americas
2021-06-12
How much footballing success can you realistically expect from a little country with one major city and a population comparable to Lithuania? When it comes to the Uruguayan national team then the answer is everything, you can expect absolutely everything.
Decade after decade this tiny nation, squeezed between continental giants Argentina and brazil, continues to overcome it’s rivals with tenacity, technique and tradition.
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The quality the squad is blessed with in 2021 combined with a great history of success means fans of the ‘celeste’ are once again dreaming of CONMEBOL Copa America glory.
Uruguay is still the most successful nation in the history of the CONMEBOL Copa America having won the title on 15 occasions. The wonderful footballing overachievers began their great history of footballing glory back in the first edition. Uruguay hosted and won the competition in 1916 in Argentina but repeating the triumph a year later on home soil
The generation dubbed ‘Celeste Olímpica’ would go on to win the gold medal at the 1924 and 1928 Olympics before winning the 1930 World Cup and 8 South American titles up until 1942. They would also win the 1950 World Cup in the game known as the ‘Maracanazo’, as they shocked the fans of confident host nation Brazil – never underestimate Uruguay!
The accolade of most Copa America wins alternated between Uruguay and Argentina over the years up until 2011 when the two nations met on Argentine soil. Both had won the competition 14 times each at this point but with Luis Suárez in fine form, Oscar Tabárez’ side was able to eliminate their old rivals from across the Rio Plata in the quarter final on penalties before picking up their fifteenth title.
IN 2021 Suárez will once again be one of Uruguay’s key men. The Atletico Madrid striker continues to be dangerous and he will go into the tournament full of confidence having just won La Liga with his club. He will renew a dangerous attacking partnership with Edison Cavani up top while Godin and Gimenez provide a strong defensive duo at the back.
Uruguay has also added real quality in the middle of the pitch with the likes of Betancur, Valverde, Nandez, De Arrascaeta and Torreira forming a really balanced, high quality squad.
Despite the fact that they could barely tie their last two qualifying matches for the 2022 World Cup (both 0-0 against Paraguay and Venezuela), Uruguay leads this competition in qualifying positions for the next World Cup, at 4 ° place in this table with 8 points and behind Brazil, Argentina and Ecuador.
Uruguay will play in Group A alongside Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Paraguay and will kickoff their participation with a huge classic against major historic rivals Argentina on 18 june, at Mané Garrincha Stadium, in Brasília.