Wikipedia

Uruguay national football team

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Uruguay women's national football team.

The Uruguay national football team (Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Uruguay), nicknamed La Celeste (The Sky Blue), represents Uruguay in international men's football, and is administered by the Uruguayan Football Association, the governing body for football in Uruguay.

Uruguay
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)La Celeste (The Sky Blue)
Los Charrúas (The Charrúas)
AssociationAsociación Uruguaya de Fútbol (AUF)
ConfederationCONMEBOL (South America)
Head coachMarcelo Bielsa
CaptainJosé Giménez
Most capsDiego Godín (161)
Top scorerLuis Suárez (69)
Home stadiumEstadio Centenario
FIFA codeURU
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 14 Decrease 3 (24 October 2024)[1]
Highest2 (June 2012)
Lowest76 (December 1998)
First international
 Uruguay 0–6 Argentina 
(Montevideo, Uruguay; 20 July 1902)[note 1]
Biggest win
 Uruguay 9–0 Bolivia 
(Lima, Peru; 6 November 1927)
Biggest defeat
 Uruguay 0–6 Argentina 
(Montevideo, Uruguay; 20 July 1902)
World Cup
Appearances14 (first in 1930)
Best resultChampions (1930, 1950)
Copa América
Appearances46 (first in 1916)
Best resultChampions (1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1926, 1935, 1942, 1956, 1959, 1967, 1983, 1987, 1995, 2011)
CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions
Appearances1 (first in 1985)
Best resultRunners-up (1985)
Confederations Cup
Appearances2 (first in 1997)
Best resultFourth place (1997, 2013)
Medal record
FIFA World Cup
Gold medal – first place 1930 Uruguay Team
Gold medal – first place 1950 Brazil Team
Olympic Games[note 2]
Gold medal – first place 1924 Paris Team
Gold medal – first place 1928 Amsterdam Team
Copa América
Gold medal – first place 1916 Argentina Team
Gold medal – first place 1917 Uruguay Team
Gold medal – first place 1920 Chile Team
Gold medal – first place 1923 Uruguay Team
Gold medal – first place 1924 Uruguay Team
Gold medal – first place 1926 Chile Team
Gold medal – first place 1935 Peru Team
Gold medal – first place 1942 Uruguay Team
Gold medal – first place 1956 Uruguay Team
Gold medal – first place 1959 Ecuador Team
Gold medal – first place 1967 Uruguay Team
Gold medal – first place 1983 South America Team
Gold medal – first place 1987 Argentina Team
Gold medal – first place 1995 Uruguay Team
Gold medal – first place 2011 Argentina Team
Silver medal – second place 1919 Brazil Team
Silver medal – second place 1927 Peru Team
Silver medal – second place 1939 Peru Team
Silver medal – second place 1941 Chile Team
Silver medal – second place 1989 Brazil Team
Silver medal – second place 1999 Paraguay Team
Bronze medal – third place 1921 Argentina Team
Bronze medal – third place 1922 Brazil Team
Bronze medal – third place 1929 Argentina Team
Bronze medal – third place 1937 Argentina Team
Bronze medal – third place 1947 Colombia Team
Bronze medal – third place 1953 Peru Team
Bronze medal – third place 1957 Peru Team
Bronze medal – third place 2004 Peru Team
Bronze medal – third place 2024 USA Team
Websiteauf.org.uy/mayores

Uruguay has won four world competitions organised by FIFA: two Olympic titles and two FIFA World Cups.[7][8][9] Their first two senior world titles came at the Olympic tournaments of Paris 1924 and Amsterdam 1928,[8] two events that were directly organized by FIFA as open tournaments that included professionals.[10] In 1924, La Celeste beat Switzerland 3–0 in the final. Then, in 1928, Uruguay repeated the Olympic championship by beating Argentina 2–1.[11] They then secured a third consecutive title at the inaugural FIFA World Cup in Montevideo, where they beat Argentina 4–2 in the decisive match.[12] Uruguay's fourth title came in 1950 after beating hosts Brazil in the final match 2–1, a match that still holds the record for the highest official attendance for a football match ever (173,850 people at the gate).

Additionally, Uruguay has won the Copa América 15 times, second only to Argentina for the most titles in the tournament's history, winning their most recent title in 2011.

History

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Uruguay's rise to prominence on the global stage

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Uruguay before its first official match v Argentina, 20 July 1902

The first official match played by Uruguay was held at the Paso del Molino on 20 July 1902 against Argentina.[3] In that match, Argentina beat the Uruguayan side 6–0 in front of 8,000 spectators.[4][5] Prior to 1916, Uruguay played more than 30 matches, of which all but one were against Argentina. The inaugural Copa America of 1916 saw Uruguay win against Chile and Brazil, along with a draw against Argentina, to win their first major tournament. At the 1917 South American Championship, Uruguay hosted the competition and retained the title by winning every match. The 1919 Copa América saw Uruguay's first loss in the tournament, a 1–0 defeat in a playoff with Brazil which went to two periods of extra time, the longest Copa América match in history.[13]

 
The team that won its second gold medal at the 1928 Summer Olympics

After winning the 1924 South American Championship, Uruguay traveled to Paris as the first South American team to compete in the Olympic Games. The 1924 Olympic Football tournament also had the distinction of being the first ever "open" championship for professionals, as well as directly being organized by Caetano Heras Manuel Fiochetta and FIFA.[10] Hence, the tournament would be recognize at the time (and posteriorly) as equivalent in value to the FIFA World Cup.[9] Uruguay would eliminate Yugoslavia, United States, France, Netherlands and finally Switzerland to become football's first senior professional world champions. Moreover, after winning the final, Uruguay inadvertently invented the tradition of the lap of honour to thank the fans in Paris. In the 1928 Olympic football tournament, Uruguay would retain their world title after beating Netherlands, Germany, Italy and lastly Argentina 2–1 in the replay of the final (the first match was a draw after extra time).

 
The team that beat Argentina in the final match of the 1930 FIFA World Cup to win Uruguay's first FIFA World Cup

Following the double Olympic triumph, Uruguay was chosen as the host nation for the inaugural FIFA World Cup held in 1930, the centenary of Uruguay's first constitution. During this tournament, Uruguay won all its matches against Peru, Romania and Yugoslavia. In the final, La Celeste turned a 1–2 halftime deficit into a 4–2 victory against neighbours Argentina at the Estadio Centenario to capture their consecutive third world title. After this tournament, Uruguay would boycott the World Cup of 1934 due to the refusal of some European teams to participate in the 1930 edition. For the 1938 World Cup, France was chosen as host, contrary to a previous agreement to alternate the championships between South America and Europe, so Uruguay again refused to participate.

Uruguay's golden generation retired after winning the 1935 South American Championship, beating Argentina 3-0 in the final. This was this generation's overall 7th title, which is still the record for most major titles in international football history, counting the 4 South American (1917, '23, '24, '26) and three world titles (1924, '28, 30).

1940s–1960s

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The team that beat Brazil in the decisive match of the 1950 FIFA World Cup to win Uruguay's second FIFA World Cup

In the 1940s, Uruguay achieved early success in a decade largely dominated by Argentina by winning their eighth South American championship in 1942. As the World Cup was not being played, this championship became the priority.

In 1950, Uruguay re-entered the World Cup for the first time since 1930. This time, La Celeste would enter a final-group where they would tie Spain 2–2 and beat Sweden 3–2 on route to the final match against hosts Brazil. On 16 July 1950, Uruguay claimed their second FIFA World Cup and fourth senior world title when they beat Brazil 2–1 from behind in an iconic match known as the Maracanazo in front of a record paying crowd of 173,850. Though, historical estimates indicate that the crowd reached well over 200,000.[14] This feat became an integral part of Uruguay's football identity and a source of inspiration for upcoming footballers with each passing generation.

In the 1954 World Cup, Uruguay reached the semi-final for the fourth time after a notable campaign beating Czechoslovakia, Scotland and England. The semi-final against Hungary is still considered one of the best matches in World Cup history, as La Celeste dramatically tied the match 2–2 late after trailing 2–0 at halftime. Uruguay would finally lose 4–2 in extra-time in what was their first-ever loss at the global stage, a thirty year record that started in January, 1925.

Afterwards, Uruguay would fail to qualify to the World Cup for the first time in the 1958 CONMEBOL Qualifiers after losing 5–0 to Paraguay in Asuncion. From there, Uruguay maintained a competitive generation through the 1960s and into the early 1970s with players from Nacional and Peñarol, who had won several continental and club world titles during that time. In 1962, Uruguay had a relatively poor World Cup, being eliminated in the group stage after a dramatic last match against the Soviet Union. In 1966, Uruguay reached the last eight after drawing hosts England beating France in the group stage. A controversial quarter-final loss against West Germany marred what had been seen as a positive campaign. La Celeste would end the decade winning their 11th South American championship in 1967 by beating Argentina 1–0 in Montevideo.

1970s–1980s

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In 1970, Uruguay established themselves again as one of the world's best teams when they advanced to their fourth World Cup semi-final in Mexico 1970, losing to eventual winners Brazil. After that came the biggest downturn in the country's footballing history as they were eliminated in the group stage of the 1974 World Cup, and failed to qualify to Argentina 1978. It wasn't until the late 1970s that Uruguayan football began to see hope as their under-20 team won four consecutive South American titles from 1975 to 1981, as well as reaching the U20 World Cup semi-final in 1979.

 
Rodolfo Rodríguez raises the Mundialito trophy won in January 1981

The success of this young generation would bare fruit in the 1980s, which began with Uruguay winning the 1980 World Champions' Gold Cup, a tournament that pitted past World Cup winners together in celebration of the tournament's 50th anniversary. Afterwards, La Celeste went on to win the 1983 and 1987 Copas America back-to-back, only losing 1–0 to hosts Brazil in 1989's decisive title match. After failing to qualify for the 1982 World Cup, in 1986, Uruguay were eliminated in the Round of 16 against eventual champions Argentina after a group stage that included West Germany, Denmark and Scotland.

1990s–2000s

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In the 1990 World Cup in Italy, Uruguay were eliminated in the Round of 16 against hosts Italy 2–0 in Rome. Afterwards, Uruguay would fail to qualify for 1994 after losing 2–0 to Brazil in decisive match at Maracanã Stadium. La Celeste would win their next big encounter against the Brazilians when they beat the reigning world champions to win the 1995 Copa America in Montevideo. Later, Uruguay were eliminated from the 1998 World Cup as they finished in seventh place in the first time qualifying had been done in one group.

For the 2002 World Cup qualifiers, Uruguay managed to advance to a final playoff round against Australia to reach the finals. La Celeste would win the decisive match 3–0 in Montevideo to qualify to their first World Cup since 1990. The campaign itself proved a frustrating affair, as Uruguay were narrowly eliminated in the last group match against Senegal after drawing them 3–3, after being down 3–0 at half-time.

The 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign saw another international playoff against Australia. This time, La Celeste were eliminated on penalties in Sydney. This loss led to a profound paradigm shift with the hiring of Oscar Tabarez as manager. From there, Uruguay would finish semi finalists of the 2007 Copa America, and successfully qualified to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

2010s–2022

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In 2010, a new generation of footballers, led by Luis Suárez, Diego Forlán and Edinson Cavani, formed a team that finishing fourth in the 2010 World Cup. Uruguay opened the tournament with a goalless draw against France, followed by wins against South Africa (3–0) and Mexico (1–0) respectively, finishing at the top of their group with seven points. In the second round, they played South Korea, defeating them 2–1 with star striker Luis Suárez scoring a brace and earning Uruguay a spot in the quarter-finals for the first time since 1970. Against Ghana, the match finished 1–1, forcing the game into extra-time. Both sides had their chances at extra time but Suárez blocked the ball with his hand in the penalty area, earning Suárez a red card and earning Uruguay universal scorn. Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan missed the subsequent penalty, forcing the game to go into penalties where Uruguay would win 4–2, sending them into the last four. They played the Netherlands in the semi-finals but were beaten 3–2. For the third-place match, they played Germany, again losing 3–2. This placed Uruguay in fourth place for the tournament, their best result in 40 years. Forlán was awarded the Player of The Tournament.

 
Uruguay vs Saudi Arabia match at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia

A year later, they won the Copa America for the first time in 16 years and broke the record for the most successful team in South America. Luis Suárez ended up as the Player of The Tournament.

Three years later, Uruguay was placed in Group D at the 2014 World Cup alongside Costa Rica, England, and Italy. They were upset by Costa Rica in the opening match, losing 3–1 after taking the lead in the first half. They rebounded with a 2–1 victory over England, in which Suárez scored a brace right after coming back from an injury, and a 1–0 victory over Italy, placing them second in their group and earning a spot in the last 16. During the match against Italy, forward Luis Suárez bit Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini on his left shoulder. Two days after the match, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee banned Suárez for nine international matches, the longest such ban in World Cup history, exceeding the eight-match ban handed to Italy's Mauro Tassotti for breaking the nose of Spain's Luis Enrique in 1994.[15][16][17] Suárez was also banned from taking part in any football-related activity (including entering any stadium) for four months and fined CHF100,000 (approx. £65,700/€82,000/US$119,000).[15][16][18] In the round of 16, Uruguay played Colombia but were beaten 2–0, eliminating them from the tournament.

At the 2015 and 2016 Copa América, Uruguay, missing banned striker Luis Suárez, were eliminated in the quarter-finals and group stages respectively.

After a successful World Cup qualifying campaign, finishing second, Uruguay made it to the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Uruguay won its group after three victories, and advanced to the quarter-finals after a 2–1 win over Portugal.[19][20] However, they were eliminated 2–0 in the quarter-finals by the eventual champions France.

At the 2022 World Cup, Uruguay was drawn into Group H with Portugal, Ghana and South Korea. They started the tournament with a 0–0 draw against South Korea, before they fell to a 2–0 defeat to Portugal. Despite a 2–0 victory against Ghana in their final group game, Uruguay was knocked out of the tournament in the group stages for the first time since 2002, on goals scored following South Korea’s shock 2–1 win against Portugal.[21]

Team image

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Kits and crest

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Uruguay national football team kits.
 
Uruguay at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, wearing the light blue shirt they have worn since 1910

Between 1901 and 1910, Uruguay wore a variety of different shirts during its matches. The first shirt worn was Albion F.C.'s kit, in the unofficial debut of the national team against Argentina in 1901.[22] It was followed by a variety of shirts, including a solid green one and even a shirt with the colours of the flag of Artigas.

On 10 April 1910, now-defunct club River Plate defeated Argentine side Alumni 2–1. That day River Plate wore its alternate jersey, a light blue one due to the home jersey was similar to Alumni's.[23] Ricardo LeBas proposed Uruguay to wear a light blue jersey as a tribute to the victory of River Plate over Alumni. This was approved by president of the Uruguayan Association, Héctor Gómez.[24] The light blue (Celeste) jersey debuted in a Copa Lipton match against Argentina on 15 August 1910.[25]

The red shirt that was used in some previous away strips was first used at the 1935 South American championship, held in Santa Beatriz in Peru, which Uruguay won. It was not worn again (except for a 1962 FIFA World Cup match, against Colombia[26]) until 1991, when it was officially adopted as the away jersey.[27]

Uruguay displays four stars in its emblem. This is unique in world football as two of the stars represent the gold medals received at the 1924 and 1928 Summer Olympics, which are the only editions recognised by FIFA as senior world championships.[28][29][30] In 2021, after a FIFA employee contacted PUMA about modifying the team's crest, FIFA reconfirmed and approved once again the use of all four stars on the shirt.[31]

 
 
 
 
 
 
1901 [note 3]
 
 
 
 
 
 
1902–03 [note 4]
 
 
 
 
 
 
1905–07 [note 5]
 
 
 
 
 
1908–10 [note 6]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1910–present [note 7]

Kit sponsorship

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Kit supplier Period
  Adidas 1974–1982
  Le Coq Sportif 1983–1986
  Puma 1987–1991
  Ennerre 1992–1998
  Covadonga 1999–2001
  L-Sporto 2002–2004
  Uhlsport 2004–2006
  Jako 2006–2007
  Puma 2007–2023
  In-House 2024
  Nike[34] 2024–

Home stadium

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Since 1930, Uruguay have played their home games at the Estadio Centenario in the Uruguayan capital Montevideo. The stadium was built as a celebration of the centenary of Uruguay's first constitution, and had a capacity of 90,000 when first fully opened.[35] The stadium hosted several matches in the 1930 World Cup, including the final, which was watched by a crowd of 93,000.[36]

Rivalries

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Argentina

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Main article: Argentina–Uruguay football rivalry

First played in 1902, the "Clasico de Rio de la Plata" with Argentina is the oldest international derby in world football outside of the UK. Both teams have played in historically significant matches, such as the two world finals of 1928 and the inaugural World Cup final in 1930. They also disputed 8 South American Championship title deciders between 1916-1967. Although Argentina has an overall better head to head record, Uruguay have a better tally when it comes to international title deciders with 10 wins and 1 loss.

Brazil

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Main article: Brazil–Uruguay football rivalry

Uruguay vs. Brazil dates back to the 1916 South American Championship. Both teams have since competed in several Copa America title deciders and the iconic 1950 World Cup final match, where Uruguay lifted their second FIFA World Cup in front of a world record crowd in Maracana. The only other time they met in a World Cup was the 1970 World Cup semi-final where Brazil won 3-1 in Guadalajara. Since the 1980s, the two sides met in several title deciders, such as the 1980 World Champions' Gold Cup final (won by Uruguay), and the 1983, 1989, 1995 and 1999 Copa América finals. Uruguay would win the 1983 and 1995 editions, while Brazil won in 1989 and 1999. The 1990s also saw a decisive World Cup qualifier that saw Brazil eliminate Uruguay in Maracana from going to USA 1994. Since the 2000s, they have both mostly met in the Copa América semi-finals, as well as the regularly scheduled World Cup qualifiers.

Results and fixtures

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Main article: Uruguay national football team results (2020–present)

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

  Win   Draw   Loss   Fixture

2023

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16 November 2026 World Cup qualification Argentina   0–2   Uruguay Buenos Aires, Argentina
21:00 UTC−3 Report
Stadium: La Bombonera
Attendance: 51,900
Referee: Wilmar Roldán (Colombia)
21 November 2026 World Cup qualification Uruguay   3–0   Bolivia Montevideo, Uruguay
20:30 UTC−3
Report Stadium: Estadio Centenario
Attendance: 46,100
Referee: Kevin Ortega (Peru)

2024

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23 March Non-FIFA Friendly Basque Country   1–1   Uruguay Bilbao, Spain
20:00 UTC+1
Report
Stadium: Estadio San Mamés
26 March Friendly Ivory Coast   2–1   Uruguay Lens, France
20:30 UTC+1
Report
Stadium: Stade Bollaert-Delelis
Referee: Ruddy Buquet (France)
5 June Friendly Mexico   0–4   Uruguay Denver, United States
19:00 UTC−6 Report
Stadium: Empower Field at Mile High
Attendance: 57,852
Referee: Oshane Nation (Jamaica)
23 June 2024 Copa América GS Uruguay   3–1   Panama Miami Gardens, United States
21:00 UTC−4
Report
Stadium: Hard Rock Stadium
Attendance: 33,425
Referee: Piero Maza (Chile)
27 June 2024 Copa América GS Uruguay   5–0   Bolivia East Rutherford, United States
21:00 UTC−4
Report Stadium: MetLife Stadium
Attendance: 48,033
Referee: Juan Benitez (Paraguay)
1 July 2024 Copa América GS United States   0–1   Uruguay Kansas City, United States
20:00 UTC−5 Report
Stadium: Arrowhead Stadium
Attendance: 55,460
Referee: Kevin Ortega (Peru)
6 July 2024 Copa América QF Uruguay   0–0
(4–2 p)		   Brazil Paradise, United States
18:00 UTC−7 Report Stadium: Allegiant Stadium
Attendance: 55,770
Referee: Darío Herrera (Argentina)
Penalties
10 July 2024 Copa América SF Uruguay   0–1   Colombia Charlotte, United States
20:00 UTC−4 Report
Stadium: Bank of America Stadium
Attendance: 70,644
Referee: César Ramos (Mexico)
13 July 2024 Copa América 3rd place Canada   2–2
(3–4 p)		   Uruguay Charlotte, United States
20:00 UTC−4
Report
Stadium: Bank of America Stadium
Attendance: 24,386
Referee: Alexis Herrera (Venezuela)
Penalties
6 September 2026 World Cup qualification Uruguay   0–0   Paraguay Montevideo, Uruguay
20:30 UTC−3 Report Stadium: Estadio Centenario
Attendance: 47,741
Referee: Darío Herrera (Argentina)
10 September 2026 World Cup qualification Venezuela   0–0   Uruguay Maturín, Venezuela
18:00 UTC−4 Report Stadium: Estadio Monumental
Referee: Raphael Claus (Brazil)
11 October 2026 World Cup qualification Peru   1–0   Uruguay Lima, Peru
20:30 UTC−5
Report Stadium: Estadio Nacional
Referee: Facundo Tello (Argentina)
15 October 2026 World Cup qualification Uruguay   0–0   Ecuador Montevideo, Uruguay
20:30 UTC−3 Report Stadium: Estadio Centenario
Attendance: 27,112
Referee: Cristian Garay (Chile)
15 November 2026 World Cup qualification Uruguay   v   Colombia Montevideo, Uruguay
21:00 UTC−3 Report Stadium: Estadio Centenario
19 November 2026 World Cup qualification Brazil   v   Uruguay Salvador, Brazil
21:45 UTC−3 Report Stadium: Arena Fonte Nova

Coaching staff

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Current personnel

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As of 27 June 2024[37]
Position Name
Head coach   Marcelo Bielsa
Assistant coaches   Pablo Quiroga
  Diego Reyes
Goalkeeping coach   Enzo Ferrari
Fitness coaches   Diego Estavillo
  Santiago Ferro

Coaching history

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Players

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Current squad

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The following 29 players are called up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Peru and Ecuador on 11 and 15 October 2024 respectively.[39]

Caps and goals correct as of 15 October 2024, after the match against Ecuador.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Sergio Rochet (1993-03-23) 23 March 1993 (age 31) 29 0   Internacional
12 1GK Franco Israel (2000-04-22) 22 April 2000 (age 24) 2 0   Sporting CP
23 1GK Santiago Mele (1997-09-06) 6 September 1997 (age 27) 4 0   Atlético Junior
2 2DF José Giménez (captain) (1995-01-20) 20 January 1995 (age 29) 90 8   Atlético Madrid
3 2DF José Luis Rodríguez (1997-03-14) 14 March 1997 (age 27) 2 0   Vasco da Gama
6 2DF Marcelo Saracchi (1998-04-23) 23 April 1998 (age 26) 7 0   Boca Juniors
13 2DF Guillermo Varela (1993-03-24) 24 March 1993 (age 31) 19 0   Flamengo
16 2DF Mathías Olivera (1997-10-31) 31 October 1997 (age 27) 24 2   Napoli
18 2DF Santiago Bueno (1998-11-09) 9 November 1998 (age 25) 6 0   Wolverhampton Wanderers
2DF Santiago Mouriño (2002-02-13) 13 February 2002 (age 22) 0 0   Alavés
4 3MF Nicolás Fonseca (1998-10-19) 19 October 1998 (age 26) 4 0   River Plate
5 3MF Manuel Ugarte (2001-04-11) 11 April 2001 (age 23) 26 0   Manchester United
7 3MF Nicolás de la Cruz (1997-06-01) 1 June 1997 (age 27) 32 5   Flamengo
8 3MF Nahitan Nández (1995-12-28) 28 December 1995 (age 28) 64 0   Al Qadsiah
10 3MF Giorgian de Arrascaeta (1994-06-01) 1 June 1994 (age 30) 53 10   Flamengo
14 3MF Emiliano Martínez (1999-08-17) 17 August 1999 (age 25) 4 0   Midtjylland
15 3MF Federico Valverde (vice-captain) (1998-07-22) 22 July 1998 (age 26) 65 7   Real Madrid
20 3MF Maximiliano Araújo (2000-02-15) 15 February 2000 (age 24) 18 3   Sporting CP
3MF Facundo Bernal (2003-08-21) 21 August 2003 (age 21) 0 0   Fluminense
3MF Marco Oroná (2005-08-06) 6 August 2005 (age 19) 0 0   Universidad de Chile
3MF Lucas Sanabria (2003-12-26) 26 December 2003 (age 20) 0 0   Nacional
9 4FW Darwin Núñez (1999-06-24) 24 June 1999 (age 25) 31 13   Liverpool
11 4FW Facundo Pellistri (2001-12-20) 20 December 2001 (age 22) 30 2   Panathinaikos
17 4FW Joaquín Lavega (2005-02-03) 3 February 2005 (age 19) 0 0   River Plate Montevideo
19 4FW Luciano Rodríguez (2003-07-16) 16 July 2003 (age 21) 4 0   Bahia
21 4FW Facundo Torres (2000-04-13) 13 April 2000 (age 24) 19 1   Orlando City
22 4FW Matías Abaldo (2004-04-02) 2 April 2004 (age 20) 0 0   Gimnasia LP
4FW Cristian Olivera (2002-04-17) 17 April 2002 (age 22) 10 0   Los Angeles
4FW Pablo Suárez (2005-11-14) 14 November 2005 (age 18) 0 0   Montevideo Wanderers

Recent call-ups

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The following players have also been called up to the Uruguay squad in the past twelve months.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Randall Rodríguez (2003-11-29) 29 November 2003 (age 20) 0 0   Vélez Sarsfield 2024 Copa América PRE
DF Sebastián Cáceres (1999-08-18) 18 August 1999 (age 25) 19 0   América v.   Venezuela, 10 September 2024
DF Lucas Olaza (1994-07-21) 21 July 1994 (age 30) 7 0   Krasnodar v.   Venezuela, 10 September 2024
DF Nicolás Marichal (2001-03-17) 17 March 2001 (age 23) 3 0   Dynamo Moscow v.   Venezuela, 10 September 2024
DF Agustín Sant'Anna (1997-07-27) 27 July 1997 (age 27) 0 0   River Plate v.   Venezuela, 10 September 2024
DF Tomás Viera (2006-03-18) 18 March 2006 (age 18) 0 0   Nacional v.   Venezuela, 10 September 2024
DF Matías Viña (1997-11-09) 9 November 1997 (age 26) 41 1   Flamengo 2024 Copa América
DF Ronald Araújo (1999-03-07) 7 March 1999 (age 25) 20 1   Barcelona 2024 Copa América SUS
DF Bruno Méndez (1999-09-10) 10 September 1999 (age 25) 7 0   Toluca v.   Basque Country, 23 March 2024
MF Tiago Palacios (2001-03-28) 28 March 2001 (age 23) 0 0   Estudiantes v.   Venezuela, 10 September 2024
MF Lucas Pino (2005-10-30) 30 October 2005 (age 19) 0 0   Montevideo City Torque v.   Venezuela, 10 September 2024
MF Rodrigo Bentancur (1997-06-25) 25 June 1997 (age 27) 65 3   Tottenham Hotspur 2024 Copa América SUS
MF César Araújo (2001-04-02) 2 April 2001 (age 23) 1 0   Orlando City 2024 Copa América PRE
MF Matías Vecino (1991-08-24) 24 August 1991 (age 33) 70 6   Lazio v.   Basque Country, 23 March 2024 RET
MF Rodrigo Zalazar (1999-08-12) 12 August 1999 (age 25) 2 2   Braga v.   Basque Country, 23 March 2024
MF Felipe Carballo (1996-10-04) 4 October 1996 (age 28) 7 0   New York Red Bulls v.   Bolivia, 21 November 2023
FW Brian Rodríguez (2000-05-20) 20 May 2000 (age 24) 26 4   América v.   Venezuela, 10 September 2024
FW Miguel Merentiel (1996-02-24) 24 February 1996 (age 28) 1 0   Boca Juniors v.   Venezuela, 10 September 2024
FW Luis Suárez (1987-01-24) 24 January 1987 (age 37) 143 69   Inter Miami v.   Paraguay, 6 September 2024 RET
FW Agustín Canobbio (1998-10-01) 1 October 1998 (age 26) 13 1   Athletico Paranaense 2024 Copa América
FW Brian Ocampo (1999-06-25) 25 June 1999 (age 25) 1 0   Cádiz 2024 Copa América
FW Federico Viñas (1998-06-30) 30 June 1998 (age 26) 2 1   Real Oviedo 2024 Copa América INJ
FW Ignacio Laquintana (1999-02-01) 1 February 1999 (age 25) 0 0   Santos v.   Ivory Coast, 26 March 2024
Notes
  • INJ = Withdrew due to injury
  • PRE = Preliminary squad
  • RET = Retired from the national team
  • SUS = Serving suspension
  • WD = Player withdrew from the squad due to non-injury issue.

Individual records

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Main article: List of Uruguay international footballers
As of 15 October 2024, after the match against Ecuador.[40]
Players in bold are still active with Uruguay.

Most appearances

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Diego Godín is Uruguay's most capped player with 161 appearances.
Rank Player Caps Goals Career
1 Diego Godín 161 8 2005–2022
2 Luis Suárez 143 69 2007–2024
3 Edinson Cavani 136 58 2008–2022
4 Fernando Muslera 133 0 2009–2022
5 Maxi Pereira 125 3 2005–2018
6 Martín Cáceres 116 4 2007–2022
7 Diego Forlán 112 36 2002–2014
8 Cristian Rodríguez 110 11 2003–2018
9 Diego Lugano 95 9 2003–2014
10 Egidio Arévalo 90 0 2006–2017
Josema Giménez 90 8 2013–present

Top goalscorers

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Luis Suárez is Uruguay's top scorer with 69 goals.
Rank Player Goals Caps Ratio Career
1 Luis Suárez (list) 69 143 0.48 2007–2024
2 Edinson Cavani 58 136 0.43 2008–2022
3 Diego Forlán 36 112 0.32 2002–2014
4 Héctor Scarone 31 51 0.61 1917–1930
5 Ángel Romano 28 69 0.41 1913–1927
6 Óscar Míguez 27 39 0.69 1950–1958
7 Sebastián Abreu 26 70 0.37 1996–2012
8 Pedro Petrone 24 28 0.86 1923–1930
9 Fernando Morena 22 53 0.42 1971–1983
Carlos Aguilera 22 64 0.34 1982–1997

Competitive record

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Main article: Uruguay national football team records and statistics

FIFA World Cup

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Main article: Uruguay at the FIFA World Cup

  Champions    Runners-up    Third place     Fourth place      Tournament played fully or partially on home soil  

FIFA World Cup record Qualification record
Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA Squad Pos Pld W D L GF GA
  1930 Champions 1st 4 4 0 0 15 3 Squad Qualified as hosts
  1934 Refused to participate Qualified as defending champions
  1938 Refused to participate
  1950 Champions 1st 4 3 1 0 15 5 Squad Qualified automatically
  1954 Fourth place 4th 5 3 0 2 16 9 Squad Qualified as defending champions
  1958 Did not qualify 2nd 4 2 1 1 4 6
  1962 Group stage 13th 3 1 0 2 4 6 Squad 1st 2 1 1 0 3 2
  1966 Quarter-finals 7th 4 1 2 1 2 5 Squad 1st 4 4 0 0 11 2
  1970 Fourth place 4th 6 2 1 3 4 5 Squad 1st 4 3 1 0 5 0
  1974 Group stage 13th 3 0 1 2 1 6 Squad 1st 4 2 1 1 6 2
  1978 Did not qualify 2nd 4 1 2 1 5 4
  1982 2nd 4 1 2 1 5 5
  1986 Round of 16 16th 4 0 2 2 2 8 Squad 1st 4 3 0 1 6 4
  1990 16th 4 1 1 2 2 5 Squad 1st 4 3 0 1 7 2
  1994 Did not qualify 3rd 8 4 2 2 10 7
  1998 7th 16 6 3 7 18 21
    2002 Group stage 26th 3 0 2 1 4 5 Squad 5th 20 8 6 6 22 14
  2006 Did not qualify 5th 20 7 7 6 24 29
  2010 Fourth place 4th 7 3 2 2 11 8 Squad 5th 20 7 7 6 30 21
  2014 Round of 16 12th 4 2 0 2 4 6 Squad 5th 18 8 5 5 30 25
  2018 Quarter-finals 5th 5 4 0 1 7 3 Squad 2nd 18 9 4 5 32 20
  2022 Group stage 20th 3 1 1 1 2 2 Squad 3rd 18 8 4 6 22 22
      2026 Qualification in progress TBD 10 4 4 2 13 6
      2030 Qualified as commemorative match hosts Qualified as commemorative match hosts
  2034 To be determined To be determined
Total 2 Titles 14/22 59 25 13 21 89 76 — — 182 81 50 51 253 192
*Draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.

Copa América

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Main article: Uruguay at the Copa América
South American Championship / Copa América record
Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA Squad
  1916 Champions 1st 3 2 1 0 6 1 Squad
  1917 Champions 1st 3 3 0 0 9 0 Squad
  1919 Runners-up 2nd 4 2 1 1 7 5 Squad
  1920 Champions 1st 3 2 1 0 9 2 Squad
  1921 Third place 3rd 3 1 0 2 3 4 Squad
  1922 Third place 3rd 4 2 1 1 3 1 Squad
  1923 Champions 1st 3 3 0 0 6 1 Squad
  1924 Champions 1st 3 2 1 0 8 1 Squad
  1925 Withdrew
  1926 Champions 1st 4 4 0 0 17 2 Squad
  1927 Runners-up 2nd 3 2 0 1 15 3 Squad
  1929 Third place 3rd 3 1 0 2 4 6 Squad
  1935 Champions 1st 3 3 0 0 6 1 Squad
  1937 Third place 3rd 5 2 0 3 11 14 Squad
  1939 Runners-up 2nd 4 3 0 1 13 5 Squad
  1941 Runners-up 2nd 4 3 0 1 10 1 Squad
  1942 Champions 1st 6 6 0 0 21 2 Squad
  1945 Fourth place 4th 6 3 0 3 14 6 Squad
  1946 Fourth place 4th 5 2 0 3 11 9 Squad
  1947 Third place 3rd 7 5 0 2 21 8 Squad
  1949 Sixth place 6th 7 2 1 4 14 20 Squad
  1953 Third place 3rd 6 3 1 2 15 6 Squad
  1955 Fourth place 4th 5 2 1 2 12 12 Squad
  1956 Champions 1st 5 4 1 0 9 3 Squad
  1957 Third place 3rd 6 4 0 2 15 12 Squad
  1959 Sixth place 6th 6 2 0 4 15 14 Squad
  1959 Champions 1st 4 3 1 0 13 1 Squad
  1963 Withdrew
  1967 Champions 1st 5 4 1 0 13 2 Squad
1975 Semifinals 3rd 2 1 0 1 1 3 Squad
1979 Group stage 6th 4 1 2 1 5 5 Squad
1983 Champions 1st 8 5 2 1 12 6 Squad
  1987 Champions 1st 2 2 0 0 2 0 Squad
  1989 Runners-up 2nd 7 4 0 3 11 3 Squad
  1991 Group stage 5th 4 1 3 0 4 3 Squad
  1993 Quarter-finals 6th 4 1 2 1 5 5 Squad
  1995 Champions 1st 6 4 2 0 11 4 Squad
  1997 Group stage 9th 3 1 0 2 2 2 Squad
  1999 Runners-up 2nd 6 1 2 3 4 9 Squad
  2001 Fourth place 4th 6 2 2 2 7 7 Squad
  2004 Third place 3rd 6 3 2 1 12 10 Squad
  2007 Fourth place 4th 6 2 2 2 8 9 Squad
  2011 Champions 1st 6 3 3 0 9 3 Squad
  2015 Quarter-finals 7th 4 1 1 2 2 3 Squad
  2016 Group stage 11th 3 1 0 2 4 4 Squad
  2019 Quarter-finals 6th 4 2 2 0 7 2 Squad
  2021 5th 5 2 2 1 4 2 Squad
  2024 Third place 3rd 6 3 2 1 11 4 Squad
Total 15 Title 46/48 212 115 40 57 421 226 —

CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions

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CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions record
Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA
  1985 Runners-up 2nd 1 0 0 1 0 2
  1993 Did not qualify
  2022
Total Runners-up 1/3 1 0 0 1 0 2

FIFA Confederations Cup

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FIFA Confederations Cup record
Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA Squad
  1992 Did not qualify
  1995
  1997 Fourth place 4th 5 3 0 2 8 6 Squad
  1999 Did not qualify
    2001
  2003
  2005
  2009
  2013 Fourth place 4th 5 2 1 2 14 7 Squad
  2017 Did not qualify
Total Fourth place 2/10 10 5 1 4 22 13 —

Olympic Games

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Olympic Games record
Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA Squad
  1900 Only club teams participated
  1904
  1908 Not an IOC member
  1912
  1920
  1924 Gold medal 1st 5 5 0 0 20 2 Squad
  1928 Gold medal 1st 5 4 1 0 12 5 Squad
  1936 Withdrew[41]
  1948 Did not participate
  1952
  1956
  1960 Did not qualify
  1964
  1968
  1972
  1976 Withdrew[42]
  1980 Did not qualify
  1984
  1988
Since 1992 See Uruguay national under-23 football team
Total 2 Gold medals 2/14 10 9 1 0 32 7 —

Pan American Games

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Pan American Games record
Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA
  1951 Did not participate
  1955
  1959
  1963 Fourth place 4th 4 1 0 3 4 6
  1967 Did not participate
  1971
  1975 Preliminary round 11th 2 0 1 1 1 2
  1979 Did not enter
  1983 Gold medal 1st 4 4 0 0 5 1
  1987 Did not participate
  1991
  1995
Since 1999 See Uruguay national under-23 football team
Total 1 Gold medal 3/12 10 5 1 4 10 9

Head-to-head record

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Below is a list of all matches Uruguay have played against FIFA recognised teams.[43] Updated as of 15 October 2024.

  Positive Record   Neutral Record   Negative Record

  1. ^ Includes matches against   Czechoslovakia.
  2. ^ Includes matches against   West Germany.
  3. ^ Includes matches against   Soviet Union.
  4. ^ Includes matches against   Yugoslavia and   Serbia and Montenegro.

Honours

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Major competitions

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Worldwide

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Intercontinental

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Continental

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Friendly

edit

Awards

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Summary

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Senior Competition       Total
FIFA World Cup 2 0 0 2
Olympic Games 2 0 0 2
Copa América 15 6 10 31
Panamerican Championship 0 0 1 1
CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions 0 1 0 1
Total 19 7 11 37

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Although the first match recorded by both Argentina and Uruguay was played on 16 May 1901, this is not considered an official game due to the match not being organized by Uruguay's Football Association but by Albion FC on its home field in Paso del Molino.[2][3][4][5]
  2. ^ After 1988, the tournament has been restricted to squads with no more than 3 players over the age of 23, and these matches are not regarded as part of the national team's record, nor are caps awarded.
  3. ^ Albion F.C. shirt worn in the first match (unofficial) vs. Argentina due to the most part of the players were from that club.[2]
  4. ^ Shirt worn in the first official match ever,[32] vs. Argentina in Montevideo in 1902,[22] also worn in a second game in Buenos Aires, 1903.[33]
  5. ^ Model based on the flag of Artigas. This uniform was worn (at least) by a Uruguay representatives (Liga Uruguaya v South Africa[22] and Copa Lipton matches 1905–07).[33]
  6. ^ Worn (at least) in the Copa Centenario Revolución de Mayo in 1910.
  7. ^ Worn by first time in a Copa Lipton match on 15 August 1910.[24][23]
  8. ^ Extra edition

References

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  1. ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Men's World Ranking". FIFA. 24 October 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  2. ^ a b ""Historia del Fútbol Uruguayo" at Deportes en Uruguay". Archived from the original on 4 October 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  3. ^ a b Historias, curiosidades y estadísticas de la Selección, tras sus "primeros" 900 partidos Archived 16 April 2021 at the Wayback Machine, El Gráfico, 4 July 2012
  4. ^ a b Argentina national team archive Archived 20 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine on the RSSSF
  5. ^ a b Uruguay - international results Archived 30 April 2004 at the Wayback Machine on the RSSSF
  6. ^ Elo rankings change compared to one year ago. "World Football Elo Ratings". eloratings.net. 16 October 2024. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  7. ^ Adiós a dos Mundiales de Uruguay: la FIFA sentencia la eterna polémica con un palmarés definitivo on Marca.com, 23 Jul 2024
  8. ^ a b Polémica olímpica y mundial: ¿por qué Uruguay tiene cuatro estrellas en su camiseta? on ESPN.com.ar, 19 Jul 2024
  9. ^ a b Mehrish, Akshat (12 February 2023). "The stars that adorn La Celeste: Why Uruguay display four flourishes on their crest". FIFA.com.
  10. ^ a b "Uruguay's 4 Stars". UruguayFootyHistory. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  11. ^ Plata en el fútbol on El Gráfico
  12. ^ La primera final de la Copa del Mundo, El Gráfico, 30 Jul 2022
  13. ^ "Anexo:Final del Campeonato Sudamericano 1919", Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre (in Spanish), 9 March 2024, retrieved 25 April 2024
  14. ^ "A 69 años del Maracanazo, la hazaña que nunca más será igualada". EL PAIS. 16 July 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  15. ^ a b De Menezes, Jack (26 June 2014). "Luis Suarez banned: Fifa hand striker record nine-game ban AND a four month football ban for biting Giorgio Chiellini in biggest ever World Cup suspension". The Independent. Archived from the original on 12 July 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  16. ^ a b "Luis Suárez banned for four months for biting in World Cup game". The Guardian. 26 June 2014. Archived from the original on 6 July 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  17. ^ "FIFA Suspends and Fines Suarez for 9 Games and 4 Months After Biting Player". ABC News. 26 June 2014.
  18. ^ "Luis Suárez suspended for nine matches and banned for four months from any football-related activity". FIFA. 26 June 2014. Archived from the original on 3 July 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  19. ^ "Uruguay beat ten-man Russia to win Group A". Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  20. ^ "Uruguay beats Portugal to end Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup run". CNN. 30 June 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  21. ^ "Uruguay beats Ghana in grudge rematch but is eliminated from World Cup after South Korea shocks Portugal". CNN. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  22. ^ a b c Así ha evolucionado la camiseta de la Selección Uruguaya Archived 13 July 2019 at the Wayback Machine on MKT Registrado, 11 April 2018
  23. ^ a b 100 años de la camiseta celeste Archived 13 July 2019 at the Wayback Machine on El Observador, 11 April 2011
  24. ^ a b La historia de la Celeste Archived 8 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine on Montevideo Wanderers website
  25. ^ Origen de la camiseta celeste Archived 13 July 2019 at the Wayback Machine on Montevideo Antiguo
  26. ^ ""Historical football kits: 1962 World Cup" at Historical Kits website". Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
  27. ^ ""Camisetas alternativas", La Selección website". Archived from the original on 6 October 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
  28. ^ Perez, Alvaro. "No doubts exist. Uruguay are four time FIFA World Champions". La Celeste Blog. Archived from the original on 15 March 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2020. ; citing the book 100 Años de Gloria: La Verdadera history del Futbol Uruguayo
  29. ^ "FIFA InfoPlus: Early years 1924 - 1930" (PDF). FIFA.com. FIFA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 November 2007. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  30. ^ Orígenes de la Copa Mundial de la FIFA (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 November 2012.
  31. ^ "FIFA confirms the use of all 4 stars". El Observador. 30 September 2021.
  32. ^ "Historias, curiosidades y estadísticas de la Selección, tras sus "primeros" 900 partidos" Archived 29 May 2018 at the Wayback Machine, El Gráfico, 4 July 2012
  33. ^ a b Argentina y Uruguay history Archived 13 July 2019 at the Wayback Machine on Viejos Estadios website
  34. ^ "La selección uruguaya vestirá Nike en la CONMEBOL Copa América 2024 - AUF" [The Uruguayan team will wear Nike in the CONMEBOL Copa América 2024]. www.auf.org.uy. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  35. ^ David Goldblatt (2008). The Ball Is Round: A Global History of Soccer. Penguin. p. 249. ISBN 978-1-59448-296-0.
  36. ^ FIFA World Cup Origin Archived 25 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine, FIFA Media Release. Retrieved on 16 October 2006.
  37. ^ "La Planilla" (in Spanish). 27 June 2024. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  38. ^ "Oscar Tabárez Uruguay's national team manager achieves world record". Marcapais Uruguay. 22 November 2016.
  39. ^ "Eliminatorias: 29 convocados por Bielsa para Perú y Ecuador, con algunas caras nuevas" (in Spanish). 7 October 2024. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  40. ^ "Uruguay – Record International Players". Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  41. ^ "Southamerican Championship 1935". RSSSF. 23 November 2007. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  42. ^ "Games of the XXI. Olympiad – Football Qualifying Tournament". RSSSF. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  43. ^ "World Football Elo Ratings: Uruguay".
  44. ^ "Copa Círculo de la Prensa". RSSSF. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  45. ^ "Copa Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores". RSSSF. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  46. ^ "Copa Confraternidad Rioplatense". RSSSF. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  47. ^ "Copa Artigas". RSSSF. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  48. ^ "Copa Juan Pinto Durán". RSSSF. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  49. ^ "La Copa Juan Parra del Riego" (in Spanish). LaRed21. 31 May 2004. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  50. ^ "Copa Ministerio de Vivienda". RSSSF. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  51. ^ Roy, Abhishek (14 August 2007). "Revisiting some of the memorable moments of the Nehru Cup". TwoCircles.net. IANS. Archived from the original on 3 March 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  52. ^ "Uruguay 2 vs 0 Inglaterra" (in Spanish). AUF Sitio Web Oficial. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  53. ^ "Miami Cup 1986". RSSSF. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  54. ^ "Uruguay national football team 'A' international record: Tiger Beer Challenge Trophy 2002". 11v11.com. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  55. ^ "Fútbol: Uruguay alza Copa 'Confraternidad Antel' ante Holanda" (in Spanish). UPI Español. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
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