Everything You Need to Know About Uruguay Before the 2026 World Cup

Uruguay Guide for the 2026 World Cup

It's a nation entwined within the very fabric of the global game. Home to 3.4 million people and the winners and hosts of the very first World Cup back in 1930, before winning it again in 1950, Uruguay will be heading optimistically into this next iteration of the tournament.

Their culture as a nation and history on the world stage is still a defining factor of their national identity, and their exploits at the coming World Cup under one of the world's most fascinating managerial minds will be under the microscope of the watching world in just a few days time.

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Uruguay's 2026 World Cup Team Selection

The national selection of players chosen by former Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa has raised a few eyebrows along the way, but generally matched expectations.

They have a squad of extremes on either side of the conversation, with little-known domestic talents packing a squad highlighted with some top-ranking players across Europe and the rest of the world.

The Uruguay squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is as follows:

Goalkeepers

• Sergio Rochet (Internacional)

• Santiago Mele (Monterrey)

• Fernando Muslera (Estudiantes)

Defenders

• Ronald Araujo (Barcelona)

• Jose Maria Gimenez (Atlético Madrid)

• Santiago Bueno (Wolverhampton Wanderers)

• Sebastian Caceres (America)

• Mathias Olivera (Napoli)

• Guillermo Varela (Flamengo)

• Matias Vina (River Plate)

• Joaquin Piquerez (Palmeiras)

• Juan Manuel Sanabria (Real Salt Lake)

Midfielders

• Federico Valverde (Real Madrid)

• Rodrigo Bentancur (Tottenham Hotspur)

• Manuel Ugarte (Manchester United)

• Emiliano Martinez (Palmeiras)

• Rodrigo Zalazar (Sporting CP)

• Giorgian De Arrascaeta (Flamengo)

• Nicolas De La Cruz (Flamengo)

• Agustin Canobbio (Fluminense)

• Maximiliano Araujo (Sporting CP)

• Brian Rodriguez (America)

• Facundo Pellistri (Panathinaikos)

Attackers

• Darwin Nunez (Al Hilal)

• Federico Vinas (Real Oviedo)

• Rodrigo Aguirre (Tigres)

There is one notable recall in the squad, and at the same time a glaring omission that has come frought with friction before a ball has been kicked.

Muslera Returns

The iconic figure in the national team of Fernando Muslera will return for a fifth and final time at the 2026 World Cup.

Now aged 39, one appearance in North America will see him shatter the record for the most individual World Cup's appeared in by a Uruguayan. He won't be the first choice, with Sergio Rochet the likely man to start, but his return from international retirement is one to enjoy, even if only as a figurehead.

Luis Suarez Does Not

Relationships between the playing staff and Bielsa have somewhat soured over the course of his time in charge, and legendary striker Luis Suarez retired from the international stage in 2024 before launching a scathing attack on the manager, claiming that the group was "divided" and he was not the only one that had considered quitting.

Eventually, his squad selection for the World Cup was mostly praised by the Uruguayan press but, predictably, there was no place for the 39-year-old Inter Miami striker.

The former Liverpool and Barcelona striker had made a plea that he would come out of international retirement if he was asked to but, whilst not being the player he used to be, his omissions will leave La Celeste without a proven goalscorer.

Uruguay's Manager - Marcelo Bielsa

Few in England will soon forget Marcelo Bielsa.

With all of the Championship Playoff drama surrounding Southampton and 'SpyGate', it would be wrong not give a nod to the infamous Argentine who started it off - he too sent spies to observe Derby County before their own playoff meeting, which gave birth to the ruling that saw Southampton punished so heavily this year.

Bielsa is a tactically regimented authoritarian of the game who will look to instill a burning passion within his group for this tournament. He's somewhat fortunate to still be in the dugout, with a bruising 5-1 loss to co-hosts USA last year risking his position, but he has stayed put long enough to manage a third different nation at a World Cup, after Chile and his native Argentina.

Uruguay's Three Key Players

Federico Valverde

The star and talisman of the team, and the man with the highest profile.

He's made headlines with Real Madrid, though most recently after his highly-published scrap with teammate Aurelien Tchouameni, and his industrious and combative nature in midfield will be paramount to Bielsa's tactical accumen as well as Uruguay's chances at the tournament.

Ronald Araujo

On the other side of El Clasico and in the backline for Uruguay will be Barcelona's Araujo.

Alongside national captain Jose Gimenez, Araujo will be approaching his 100th national cap in North America. He is known for his strength and unsuspecting speed, and his partnership with the aforementioned skipper will be very important for what will be a well-drilled Bielsa side.

Darwin Nunez

With no Suarez or Cavani in the modern-day Uruguay, the responsibilities of the front line will be left to infamous former Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez.

Armed with the positioning of a genius, the pace of a sprinter and the finishing IQ of a four-year-old, a lot of questions will be posed over Nunez's value as the leading man of the Uruguay attack. Only time will tell if he has what it takes to guide them to any success after a chaotically disappointing domestic season with Al-Hilal and a totally absent trio of displays in Qatar in 2022, when Uruguay were grouped after just one win.

Uruguay and Group H

With the World Cup expanding to a whopping 48 nations and with the introduction of a Round of 32, AND with the introduction of the eight best third-placed teams going through to the knockouts, there is almost no chance of Uruguay getting grouped again like they did four years ago.

They are in Group H with tournament favourites Spain, which will likely be a rough one, but they have the quality to breeze past minnows Saudi Arabia (who are only minnows for now given the sizable investment in the sport they are making) and Cabo Verde.

They are against those two latter-most sides before they meet Spain, so some good momentum could be built before a defining showdown in Group H.

Uruguay's group stage fixtures are as follows:

• June 15 - Uruguay vs Saudi Arabia, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami

• June 21 - Uruguay vs Cape Verde

• June 26 - Uruguay vs Spain, Estadio Akron, Guadalajara

Uruguay's World Cup History

Don't be fooled by their poor performance in 2022 - Uruguay have got as good a heritage in this competition than anyone.

They've rocked up to the global stage on 14 occasions, and won the whole thing in those first two attempts - the first as hosts of the inaugural World Cup in 1930, and again in their second entry 20 years later (in 1950).

The Maracanazo was the term tipped over their 1950 success, where they defeated heavy favourites Brazil in front of a whopping 200k crowd to claim a second World Cup in jaw-dropping fashion.

Since that incredible success, though, Uruguay have not tasted a World Cup final since. The closest they came was in 2010, when they finished fourth in South Africa, and their unfortunate performances in Qatar in 2022 defined a nation far removed from their former glory days.

The chances are against Uruguay getting deep into the tournament this time around, but they are in a group they can succeed in and will likely have a decent path in the knockouts. If Bielsa can mastermind a good run, then this World Cup could remain a memorable one for Uruguay.