Current FIFA Ranking: 16
Highest FIFA Ranking: 2 (June 2012)
Lowest FIFA Ranking: 76 (Dec 1998)
Football Team Nickname: La Celeste; The Sky Blues
Honours:
World Cup (2): 1930, 1950
Copa America (15): 1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1926, 1935, 1942, 1956, 1959, 1967, 1983, 1987, 1995, 2011
Head coach: Marcelo Bielsa (since May 2023)
Top scorer in qualifying: Darwin Nunez (5)
Star players: Darwin Nunez (Al Hilal), Federico Valverde (Real Madrid), Giorgian de Arrascaeta (Flamengo)
Winners in their first two World Cup appearances in 1930 and 1950, Uruguay have defied their small population with big appearances on the international stage. Fifteen Copa America titles, although none since 2011, and regular qualification for the World Cup have made them a team to be noticed.
However, they exited the 2022 World Cup at the group stage and are in a period of rebuilding with Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani both retiring from international football in 2024.
They have experience at the helm though with 70-year-old Marcelo Bielsa appointed as head coach in 2023 – he will be at his third World Cup following 2002 with Argentina (group stage) and 2010 with Chile (R16).
Previous World Cup appearances (14):
2022: Group stage (Portugal, Korea Republic, Ghana)
2018: Quarter-final
2014: Round of 16
2010: Fourth
2002: Group stage
1990: Round of 16
1986: Round of 16
1974: Group stage
1970: Fourth
1966: Quarter-final
1962: Group stage
1954: Fourth
1950: Winners
1930: Winners
