Uruguay

Forlan: Sharp-shooter

World Cup schedule
June 11: vs. France (Cape Town)
June 16: vs. South Africa (Pretoria)
June 22: vs. Mexico (Rustenburg)
Key players
Diego Forlan, Forward
Luis Suarez, Forward
Best WC result: Winners in 1930, '50
FIFA World Rank: 18

Once one of the great soccer nations, Uruguay is today largely an afterthought. This is a bitter coda for a country with deep European roots, and a hard-fought legacy as the first winners of the World Cup. Uruguay once was synonymous with football. Today, it is all but a relic.

Nestled between the far bigger Brazil and Argentina, Uruguay is also the most prosperous and most developed nation in South America. Located on the Atlantic seaboard, the nation has spectacular geography, a wonderful climate, and is known for having the highest quality of life on the continent.

It's also tiny. Just 3.5 million people live there.

Uruguay is by far the smallest nation ever to win the trophy, and, given their lack of resources, Uruguay's success then - and their continued, if fleeting, relevance in South American football today - is astonishing.

Football here is considered a birthright. The fact that Uruguay's teams and clubs are now badly faded is a bitter blow to a nation that considers itself as much a part of Europe as France or Spain does.

Uruguay has a lot going for it. It's a gorgeous place to visit, has great food and a vibrant arts and literary scene. In many ways, it's top dog on the continent... just not in what many Uruguayans feel matters most.

PAST WORLD CUP SUCCESS:

Uruguay hosted and won the first World Cup ever played in 1930. They followed that up by winning in 1950 against bitter rivals Brazil, still regarded as the biggest upset in a final. This is their 11th appearance in the finals; their most recent foray was in 2002 when they failed to get out of the first round. Their best finish in the modern era was in 1990, when they made the knockout stage. They finished fourth in the 1997 King Fahd Cup, which is now called the Confederations Cup.

REGIONAL SUCCESS:

Lots. Perennial contenders in the Copa America, they are 14-time champions. Most recently, they finished 4th in 2007; they won their last championship back in 1995.

LEAGUE OVERVIEW:

The 16-team Primera. It's 110-years old, and it's seen better days. Top clubs are Nacional, Penarol and Defensor. Like many South Americans league, it is a two-stage competition with an Apertura and Clausura. The league also suffers from money problems (it doesn't have much) and hooliganism (it has too much). Like many South American leagues, it bleeds players to Europe. Uruguay tried to stop this by switching to a European season in 2005, but it failed. The tournament reverted for the 2008-09 season.

MANAGER:

Oscar Tabarez. This is his second stint with Uruguay. He was the manager of the team at the 1990 World Cup in Italy. He's got a long track record, including stints with AC Milan, Boca Juniors and Velez Sarsfield.

KEY PLAYERS:

They don't have a lot. Fucile (Porto) was one of the better players in Porto team this season; he's a defender who roams forward and can create. He'll line up with Diego Lugano (Fenerbahce), a solid centre-back who was at one time considered the continent's best. Striker Diego Forlan (Atletico Madrid) is the big name; he's deadly but mercurial. Sebastian Abreu (Botafogo) is really showing his age, but he'll be on the pitch because he still scores goals. Luis Suarez is going to get a look because of his form at Ajax; he's got a deft touch but a hot temper.

FIFA RANKINGS:

18th. A tad high. Highest was 12th (1994), lowest was 56th (1998).

FIRST ROUND OPPONENTS:

France, Mexico, South Africa

HOW THEY QUALIFIED:

They had to face Costa Rica in a playoff as the fifth-place team in CONMEBOL. They almost missed out with a final-day loss to Argentina, but were saved when Chile beat Ecuador.