Uruguay (La Celeste) in Brazil……..
They are the best team in South America. Uruguay are the current continental champions, and have won the Copa America for the record 15th time.
We can do ‘sport math’ and count La Celeste to have been lucky that the competition is being held in their continent. Brazil’s automatic qualification, gave room for another team from South America to book their World Cup ticket. Uruguay happened to be that team.
With a 7-4-5 (W-D-L) record in their Fifa World Cup qualifiers, Uruguay concluded the top 5 teams from CONMEBOL that were eligible for the tournament. With enough goal difference, they could have avoided playing the 2 extra matches they had to play Jordan at the playoff stage.
This will be their 12th participation in the competition. They have already won 2, and it has been a while since those victories. There is no doubt that Uruguay is cravings for a 3rd Fifa World Cup.
The Venom
Luis Suarez is the main man up front for the team. His time at Liverpool has been a personal success for this player. If he is not in your current top 5 strikers, you should extend that list to six. Suarez is quick with his footwork. The arrow on his compass is always pointing at the opposition goal. He is precise with his shots on goal, and has proven lately that he is a set-piece specialist. An all-round center forward who makes his presence on the pitch known.
Forlan and Suarez enjoying a goal
Next to Suarez could be his mentor, Diego Forlan. Forlan has been leading Uruguay attack for sometime now. And when we think he is done and ready to hang those boots from the big stage, he surprises a lot of people. With his sharp boots on, Forlan will ripple many nets.
Edinson Cavani, another lethal forward in the line-up. The PSG man will be proving why the French giants paid huge sums for his service. That will be an easy task for Cavani. He will be a danger man for defense. Defense work load will be intense with a partnership with Suarez.
The Control Support
Midfielders to support the attacking threat that Uruguay possess will be the likes of Napoli’s Walter Gargano. Gargano has spent most of his career in Italy and will very well bring the compact midfield work that is familiar with the Serie A. To add to Gargano is another tough midfielder from the Serie A, Bologna’s Diego Pérez. For a lot more attacking midfield work, there is Cristian Rodríguez and Álvaro Pereira
The Bouncers
In defense, we have the veteran Diego Lugano. Lugano leadership is enhanced from his position in the back line. He has a good view on his team to captain from the back. He might not be as fast of a runner as he used to be. But with his experience, he has mastered the art of disarming a striker without speed. Other names to look for from the defensive line-up will be Atletico Madrid’s Diego Godín and Benifca’s Maxi Pereira
So what is it for Uruguay? How will they fare?
They have fallen into one of the potential ‘Group of Deaths’ with two other former Fifa World Cup winners; England and Italy. If weight is to placed on the amount of World Cup’s won by each team?, It will favor Italy(3) and Uruguay (2). If we are to look at how recent these wins have been, it will favor Italy(2006) and England(1966). So it looks good for the Italians, and 50% chance for La Caleste is not bad. If only futbol was just a simple math problem.
Uruguay will have to do what they are good at, attack.
Attacking pressure from this team will be their defensive tool. If they can find a way to stop other teams from successfully countering their attack, then they will be good to advance from Group D. But this will not be an easy group to advance without bruises. It will just as difficult for Uruguay, as it will be for the other teams in this group.
Well maybe a little harder for Costa Rica.
As always, there will be some drama, suspense and surprises. And that is why we will have to be watching to see if Japan will make home field advantage count.
