Uruguay unveil squad for FIFA World Cup; Luis Suarez left out
Montevideo, May 31
Uruguay have officially unveiled their squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, with a surprising omission of veteran striker Luis Suarez.
The 39-year-old forward, a talismanic figure for the national team over the past 11 years, will not be part of the squad for the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Suarez is not included for the first time since La Celeste returned at South Africa 2010 to the World Cups.
Another main surprise is the omission of Nahitan Nandez, who was a starter during the qualifiers.
From the Brazilian league, Guillermo Varela, Giorgian de Arrascaeta and Nicolas de la Cruz, from Flamengo, Joaquin Piquerez and Emiliano Martinez, from Palmeiras, as well as Agustin Canobbio, from Fluminense, and Sergio Rochet, from Inter, were called up.
Uruguay will begin their 2026 World Cup campaign in Group H when they face Saudi Arabia on June 16, followed by their fixtures against Cape Verde on June 22 and a high-voltage fixture against Spain on June 27.
Uruguay squad for FIFA World Cup 2026:
Goalkeepers: Sergio Rochet, Fernando Muslera and Santiago Mele.
Defenders: Guillermo Varela, Ronald Araujo, Jose Maria Gimenez, Santiago Bueno, Sebastian Caceres, Mathias Olivera, Joaquin Piquerez, Matias Vina.
Midfielders: Manuel Ugarte, Emiliano Martinez, Rodrigo Bentancur, Federico Valverde, Agustin Canobbio, Juan Manuel Sanabria, Giorgian de Arrascaeta, Nicolas de la Cruz, Rodrigo Zalazar, Facundo Pellistri, Maximiliano Araujo, Brian Rodriguez.
Forwards: Rodrigo Aguirre, Federico Vinas and Darwin Nunez.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As an Indian who follows football closely, this is bold. Suarez is a legend but his form has dipped. However, leaving out Nandez too? That's risky. Group H is tricky - Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde are no pushovers, and Spain is always tough. Let's see if this young squad can handle the pressure.
Rohit P
Heartbreaking for Luisito 😢 He gave everything for Uruguay since 2010. But football moves on - Valverde and Bentancur will lead the midfield. Just hope Nunez doesn't repeat his Liverpool misses! Argentina vs Uruguay in World Cup would be epic.
Suarez omission is logical - you can't rely on sentiment in modern football. But I'm more concerned about their defence: Gimenez and Araujo are good but injury-prone. And who'll replace Godin's leadership? This squad lacks a proper captain figure. Spain match on June 27 will be the real test.
Interesting to see so many players from Brazilian league - Flamengo, Palmeiras, Fluminense. That shows Uruguayan football's connection with Brazil. De Arrascaeta and De la Cruz are class acts. But I worry about scoring goals - only 3 forwards named! Hope Canobbio surprises everyone. Good luck La Celeste! 👏
As a neutral observer, this is a brave transitional phase for Uruguay. Suarez and Cavani era is finally over. Nunez needs to justify his $100M price tag. That midfield though - Valverde, Bentancur, Ugarte is world-class. Dark horse for the tournament? 🇺🇾
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