by Adam Feneley

Created on: June 16, 2010   Last Updated: June 18, 2010

2010 World Cup Team Assessment: Uruguay

Uruguay are no novices when it comes to world cup football, they were champions of the fist ever world cup in 1930 and then champions fo a second time in 1950, the first world cup after the tournament was cancelled in 1942 and 1946 due to the second world war.  Due to their past success Uruguay is a well followed and well supported footballing side and boasts footballers that play in Europe's top leagues.

Uruguay were drawn in Group A along with France, Mexico and world cup hosts South Africa. I would expect this to be a very tight group, with South Africa, Mexico and Uruguay all in with a chance of qualification, with likely group winners France, although with controversy and turmoil in the French camp, an upset can be expected in this group. 

The Uruguay final squad of 23 for the 2010 world cup is as follows: 

Goalkeepers: Fernando Muslera (Lazio), Juan Castillo (Deportivo Cali), Martín Silva (Defensor Sporting)

Defenders: Diego Lugano (Fenerbahce), Diego Godín (Villarreal), Andrés Scotti (Colo Colo), Jorge Fucile (Porto), Martín Cáceres (Juventus), Mauricio Victorino (Universidad de Chile), Maximiliano Pereira (Benfica)

Midfielders: Walter Gargano (Napoli), Egidio Arevalo Rios (Peñarol), Sebastián Eguren (AIK Stockholm), Diego Pérez (Monaco), Alvaro Pereira (Porto), Ignacio González (Valencia), Nicolás Lodeiro (Ajax), Alvaro Fernández (Universidad de Chile)

Forwards: Luis Suárez (Ajax), Diego Forlán (Atletico Madrid), Sebastián Abreu (Botafogo), Edinson Cavani (Palermo), Sebastián Fernández (Banfield Argentina)

Uruguay boast some top quality footballers in Athetico Madrids Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez of Ajax up front. Between the pair of them Uruguay's first choice front men have netted over 80 goals for their respective clubs this season, so they have a formidable strike partnership. Some followers of the English premier league and fans on Manchester United FC will remember the move of Diego Forlan to Old Trafford, but the Uruguayan failed to consistently perform, despite very good performances and goals against arch rivals Liverpool. Since his move to Spain Forlan has shown his quality netting 35 goals last season, his tenacious approach will trouble even the best of teams. 

Luis Suarez has a remarkable scoring record for his club this season, in 48 appearances he has scored 49 goals for Ajax. He hasn't quite found that form for the national side but he has still managed 10 goals in 30 games, with Forlan on 24 goals in 63 games. 

I expect Uruguay, if they perform to a reasonable standard to take a point or three from France, to make their way out of group as runners up, although i do not see them passing the round of 16. This is due to the fact that the runners up in group A play the winners of group B, this will almost certainly be Argentina, who are in the top 5 favorites to win the trophy. However if they can outperform rivals and top their group they have a genuine chance of progressing to the quarter finals, since a tie with South Korea or Nigeria seems likely in the last 16, a tie which Uruguay will have a genuine chance of winning. 

I think Uruguay will surprise a few people this world cup, i reckon they could hold France to a draw and could beat Mexico and and South Africa to challenge France for the Group A top spot. Uruguay will be an exciting attacking side, as many of the South American sides are, with a similar style as Argentina and Brazil but without the superstar names, I look forward to watching them this world cup.

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