Uruguay is amongst the eight teams that have won the World Cup. Those victories took place in the bygone ages. During a stunningly successful period in which they also won gold at back-to-back Olympic Games in 1924 and 1928, they won the first World Cup as the host country in 1930. When they defeated Brazil to win it once more in 1950, they then pulled off an unprecedented upset. But a country that is defined by football nonetheless outperforms its peers. Three semi-final appearances have occurred since 1950, the most recent of which occurred in South Africa in 2010 when an Uruguayan team led by the explosive Luis Suarez, whose performances and infamous handball against Ghana—a team he is now set to face again, 12 years after the first encounter—captivated viewers around the globe.
Suarez, who is now 35, was present when Uruguay made it to the round of eight in Russia in 2018, and he will be there in Qatar, along with his seasoned striking partner Edinson Cavani, in what is most likely their final World Cup appearance. Can the famous duo, who have combined for 126 goals in 265 international games, make it memorable? Diego Alonso, who took over for the long-serving Oscar Tabarez in December, is Uruguay’s new manager as they prepare for the tournament against much larger countries. However, it would be foolish to undervalue Qatar as a nation given its heritage.
Federico Valverde isn’t exactly a rising star. The 24-year-old has already played for Uruguay on 42 occasions, scoring four goals, and for Real Madrid on 157 occasions over five seasons, scoring ten goals. However, he enters this tournament as probably Uruguay’s most crucial player behind Suarez and Cavani and is someone who is definitely worth paying attention to after nearly missing out on selection for the most recent World Cup in Russia. While Valverde’s passing, dribbling, and finishing skills are impressive, he also stands out for his efforts off the ball. His exceptional stamina and relentless work ethic ensure that he is just as important in a defensive sense.
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