World Cup 2014 Team Spotlight – Uruguay
Uruguay is one of the storied international clubs in South America, with 12 World Cup appearances and winning it in 1930 and 1950. However, that is a long time ago.
URUGUAY
Group D: Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy
Most capped: Diego Forlan (109)
Top scorer: Luis Suarez (38 goals)
Odds to win 2014 World Cup: 28/1
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The engine of Uruguay’s modern efforts is Suarez, whose recent minor knee operation leaves his fitness for this year’s tournament in doubt. He has vowed that he will be ready for Group D action in a couple of weeks, but the Liverpool man is among the best players in the world and to say his absence would be missed is a gross understatement.
Without Suarez, Uruguay is probably sunk.
He has been in such form this year at Anfield that the safe bet is he will play in the opening round. Whether he is in peak form is the question surely hounding the nation.
Admittedly, Suarez is not the only talented player on Uruguay’s squad. Paris St-Germain’s Edinson Cavani is a special talent, whom like Suarez is 27 and in the prime of his career.
Cavani has 20 goals for country and if Suarez is less than ideal, he will be leaned on heavily.
Diego Forlan is a Uruguayan legend, but he is definitely past his prime at 35 and though he’s the most capped player in team history, he’s currently languishing in Japan playing his club football in Osaka.
Maybe there’s a little magic left in a set of legs with high mileage on them.
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A player to look out for is midfielder Gaston Ramirez, a 23-year old starting to come into his own and coming off a strong season with Southampton in the Premier League, a club that surpassed everyone’s expectations. He could have a large role to play in Brazil.
Atletico Madrid’s Diego Godin will lead the charge in the defensive backfield for Uruguay.
There are definitely a few talented players to mention, but Uruguay is a small country without the depth of some of the national powerhouses elsewhere in South America and globally. Suarez is so good, though, that he’s worth a couple of world-class contributors.
Suarez scored goals at will in the Prem this season, pairing with Daniel Sturridge to make a fearsome attacking duo and certainly being the best player in the league in 2013-14. Liverpool didn’t play any European football this past season, which might’ve made the going easier for the club, but only the most acute pessimist would discount Suarez’s production because of that.
As it is well-publicized, Uruguay finds itself in a harrowing Group D along with Italy, England and Costa Rica.
Matt’s Free Prediction – 3rd place in Group D
It’s quite possible that Uruguay is unable to best either Italy or England, with the South Americans wilting in the Group stage.
However, Uruguay is also capable of upsetting either of those clubs (or – you never know – maybe both) and advancing to the knockout stage. With the fitness level of Suarez in doubt, probably the most plausible scenario is Uruguay being unsuccessful in the Group.
Still, many observers would argue that this Group is too close to call. With the top form of Italy and England by no means being a sure thing, those observers aren’t wrong.
