Uruguay

Uruguay are two-time FIFA World Cup champions, winners of the first-ever tournament in 1930 on home soil and again in 1950 in Brazil, and the smallest country by population to have won the competition at 3.5 million people.

La Celeste under Marcelo Bielsa play an intense, pressing game that reflects their coach’s trademark high-tempo, demanding tactical philosophy. Darwin Nunez, who plays for Liverpool with the explosive directness and physical intensity Bielsa’s system values, is the team’s most dangerous forward: unpredictable in his movement, powerful in the air, and capable of the brilliant goal that makes neutral matches memorable. Federico Valverde, Real Madrid’s box-to-box midfielder, provides the high engine and clinical finishing from distance that modern midfielders rarely combine. Rodrigo Bentancur and Matias Vecino provide the competitive, physical midfield base that Uruguayan football has always demanded.

Uruguay’s 2010 World Cup semi-final at South Africa, reached by beating Ghana in the quarter-final in a manner that remains one of the tournament’s most contentious moments, produced Luis Suarez’s deliberate handball on the goal line in the 120th minute. Asamoah Gyan missed the subsequent penalty. Uruguay won on penalties. No neutral ever forgot. They lost the semi-final 3-2 to the Netherlands and beat Germany 3-2 in the third-place playoff.

The 1930 final, played at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo before 68,346 people, ended Uruguay 4-2 Argentina after being 2-1 down at half-time. Hector Castro scored the fourth with 20 minutes remaining. The stadium was named Centenario for Uruguay’s centenary of independence. They won the tournament.

Uruguay operates on Uruguay Standard Time, UTC-3. A 20:00 kickoff in Montevideo is 23:00 in London and 18:00 in New York. Check Uruguay time for your local conversion.