Uruguay national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Uruguay

Nickname(s)	La Celeste (The Sky Blue) Los Charrúas (The Charrúas)
Association	Asociación Uruguaya de Fútbol (AUF)
Confederation	CONMEBOL (South America)
Head coach	Marcelo Bielsa
Captain	José María Giménez
Most caps	Diego Godín (161)
Top scorer	Luis Suárez (69)
Home stadium	Estadio Centenario
FIFA code	URU
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	7 (7 February 2019)
Highest	2 (June 2012)
Lowest	76 (December 1998)
Elo ranking
Current	11 2 (3 March 2019)
Highest	1 (Various dates 1920–29)
Lowest	48 (5 September 1979)
First international
Uruguay 0–6 Argentina  (Montevideo, Uruguay; 20 July 1902)
Biggest win
Uruguay 9–0 Bolivia  (Lima, Peru; 6 November 1927)
Biggest defeat
Uruguay 0–6 Argentina  (Montevideo, Uruguay; 20 July 1902)
World Cup
Appearances	14 (first in 1930)
Best result	Champions (1930, 1950)
CONMEBOL Copa América
Appearances	46 (first in 1916)
Best result	Champions (1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1926, 1935, 1942, 1956, 1959, 1967, 1983, 1987, 1995, 2011)
CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions
Appearances	1 (first in 1985)
Best result	Runners-up (1985)
Confederations Cup
Appearances	2 (first in 1997)
Best result	Fourth place (1997, 2013)
Medal record FIFA World Cup Gold 1930 Uruguay Team Gold 1950 Brazil Team Olympic Games Gold 1924 Paris Team Gold 1928 Amsterdam Team CONMEBOL Copa América Gold 1916 Argentina Team Gold 1917 Uruguay Team Gold 1920 Chile Team Gold 1923 Uruguay Team Gold 1924 Uruguay Team Gold 1926 Chile Team Gold 1935 Peru Team Gold 1942 Uruguay Team Gold 1956 Uruguay Team Gold 1959 Ecuador Team Gold 1967 Uruguay Team Gold 1983 South America Team Gold 1987 Argentina Team Gold 1995 Uruguay Team Gold 2011 Argentina Team Silver 1919 Brazil Team Silver 1927 Peru Team Silver 1939 Peru Team Silver 1941 Chile Team Silver 1989 Brazil Team Silver 1999 Paraguay Team Bronze 1921 Argentina Team Bronze 1922 Brazil Team Bronze 1929 Argentina Team Bronze 1937 Argentina Team Bronze 1947 Colombia Team Bronze 1953 Peru Team Bronze 1957 Peru Team Bronze 2004 Peru Team Bronze 2024 United States Team CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions Silver 1985 Paris Team FIFA World Champions' Gold Cup Gold 1980/81 Uruguay Team

The Uruguay national football team, also known as La Celeste (meaning "The Sky Blue") and Los Charrúas, represents Uruguay in international men's football games. The team is managed by the Asociación Uruguaya de Fútbol (AUF). This association helped start CONMEBOL in 1916 and joined FIFA in 1923.

Uruguay plays its home games at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo. Marcelo Bielsa has been the team's coach since 2023.

Uruguay is one of the most successful national teams in football history. FIFA even called them "football's first global powerhouse." They have won four world championships organized by FIFA. This includes two Olympic titles and two FIFA World Cups.

Their first two world titles were at the Olympic tournaments in Paris in 1924 and Amsterdam in 1928. FIFA directly organized these events. In 1924, Uruguay beat Switzerland 3–0 in the final. In 1928, they won again by beating Argentina 2–1. They then won their third world title at the first-ever FIFA World Cup in Montevideo. They defeated Argentina 4–2 in the final match.

Uruguay's fourth world title came in 1950. They beat host team Brazil 2–1 in the final match. This game, known as the Maracanazo, had a record attendance of over 173,000 people. Uruguay was unbeaten in world championship matches from the 1924 Olympics until their loss in the 1954 World Cup semi-final. This was a 30-year winning streak. They chose not to play in the 1934 and 1938 World Cups.

In regional competitions, Uruguay has won the Copa América 15 times. They won the very first edition in 1916. Only Argentina has won more titles in this tournament. Uruguay's most recent Copa América win was in 2011. As of 2025, Uruguay has won the second-most major international trophies, also behind Argentina.

Uruguay has often ranked high in global football. They reached their highest FIFA World Ranking of 2nd place in June 2012. They have also been ranked number one in the World Football Elo Ratings many times. Uruguay has strong rivalries with its neighbors. The rivalry with Argentina is called the Clásico del Río de la Plata. The rivalry with Brazil is known as the Clásico del Río Negro.

Team History

Early Years and First Wins

Uruguay before its first official match against Argentina on July 20, 1902.

Uruguay's first official match was on July 20, 1902, against Argentina. Argentina won that game 6–0. Before 1916, Uruguay played over 30 matches, mostly against Argentina.

In 1916, Uruguay won the first Copa América. They beat Chile and Brazil, and drew with Argentina. In 1917, Uruguay hosted the tournament and won every match to keep their title. In the 1919 Copa América, Uruguay lost for the first time in the tournament. They were defeated 1–0 by Brazil in a very long playoff game.

The team that won its second gold medal at the 1928 Summer Olympics.

After winning the 1924 South American Championship, Uruguay became the first South American team to play in the Olympic Games in Paris. The 1924 Olympic Football tournament was the first "open" championship for professional players. FIFA recognized it as a world championship. Uruguay beat teams like Yugoslavia, United States, France, Netherlands, and Switzerland to become the first senior professional world champions. After winning, they started the tradition of the lap of honour to thank the fans.

In the 1928 Olympic football tournament, Uruguay won their world title again. They beat Netherlands, Germany, Italy, and finally Argentina 2–1 in a replay of the final.

The team that beat Argentina in the final match of the 1930 FIFA World Cup to win Uruguay's first FIFA World Cup.

Because of their Olympic wins, Uruguay was chosen to host the first FIFA World Cup in 1930. This was also 100 years after Uruguay's first constitution. Uruguay won all their matches against Peru, Romania, and Yugoslavia. In the final, La Celeste came back from being down 1–2 at halftime to win 4–2 against Argentina at the Estadio Centenario. This was their third world title in a row.

Uruguay did not play in the 1934 World Cup because some European teams refused to play in the 1930 tournament. They also did not play in the 1938 World Cup. This was because France was chosen as host, even though there was an agreement to switch between South America and Europe.

Uruguay's great team from this era retired after winning the 1935 South American Championship. They beat Argentina 3–0 in the final. This team won 7 major titles in total, which is still a record.

Mid-Century Success (1940s–1960s)

The team that beat Brazil in the decisive match of the 1950 FIFA World Cup to win Uruguay's second FIFA World Cup.

In the 1940s, Uruguay won their eighth South American championship in 1942. Since the World Cup was not played then, this championship was very important.

In 1950, Uruguay played in the World Cup again for the first time since 1930. They tied Spain 2–2 and beat Sweden 3–2. This led them to the final match against host Brazil. On July 16, 1950, Uruguay won their second FIFA World Cup and fourth senior world title. They beat Brazil 2–1 in a famous match known as the Maracanazo. This victory became a huge part of Uruguay's football identity.

In the 1954 World Cup, Uruguay reached the semi-finals. They beat Czechoslovakia, Scotland, and England. The semi-final against Hungary was a classic game. Uruguay tied the match 2–2 after being down 2–0. They eventually lost 4–2 in extra time. This was their first loss ever at the global stage, ending a 30-year unbeaten run.

Uruguay did not qualify for the World Cup for the first time in 1958. They lost 5–0 to Paraguay. However, they remained competitive in the 1960s. In 1966, Uruguay reached the quarter-finals. They drew with host England and beat France. They lost a controversial quarter-final match against West Germany. Uruguay ended the decade by winning their 11th South American championship in 1967.

Later Years and Modern Era

In 1970, Uruguay reached their fourth World Cup semi-final, losing to Brazil. After this, Uruguayan football had a tough period. They did not qualify for the 1978 World Cup.

Hope returned in the late 1970s as their under-20 team won four South American titles in a row. They also reached the U20 World Cup semi-final in 1979.

Rodolfo Rodríguez raises the Mundialito trophy won in January 1981.

This young generation's success showed in the 1980s. Uruguay won the 1980 World Champions' Gold Cup, a tournament for past World Cup winners. They then won the 1983 and 1987 Copas América back-to-back. In 1986, Uruguay was eliminated in the Round of 16 by Argentina.

In the 1990 World Cup, Uruguay lost to host Italy in the Round of 16. They did not qualify for 1994 after losing to Brazil. However, they beat Brazil to win the 1995 Copa América. Uruguay did not qualify for the 1998 World Cup.

For the 2002 World Cup qualifiers, Uruguay beat Australia in a playoff to reach the finals. They were eliminated in the group stage after drawing with Senegal. In the 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign, they lost to Australia on penalties. This led to Oscar Tabarez becoming manager. Uruguay reached the semi-finals of the 2007 Copa América and qualified for the 2010 World Cup.

In 2010, a new generation of players, including Luis Suárez, Diego Forlán, and Edinson Cavani, led Uruguay to fourth place. This was their best result in 40 years. Forlán was named Player of the Tournament. A year later, they won the Copa América, breaking the record for most titles in South America. Luis Suárez was the Player of the Tournament.

Uruguay vs Saudi Arabia match at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

At the 2014 World Cup, Uruguay reached the Round of 16. They were eliminated by Colombia. In the 2015 and 2016 Copa América tournaments, Uruguay was eliminated in the quarter-finals and group stages.

Uruguay qualified for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. They won their group and reached the quarter-finals after beating Portugal. However, they lost 2–0 to France, who went on to win the tournament.

At the 2022 World Cup, Uruguay was in Group H. They drew with South Korea and lost to Portugal. Despite a 2–0 win against Ghana in their final group game, Uruguay was knocked out in the group stages. This was the first time since 2002.

Team Look

Kits and Crest

Uruguay at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, wearing the light blue shirt they have worn since 1910.

From 1901 to 1910, Uruguay wore different shirts. On April 10, 1910, a club called River Plate defeated an Argentine team. River Plate wore a light blue jersey that day. To honor this win, Uruguay decided to wear a light blue jersey, which they called Celeste. They first wore it on August 15, 1910.

The red shirt, used for some away games, first appeared in 1935. It became the official away jersey in 1991.

Uruguay's team badge has four stars. This is special because two stars represent their gold medals from the 1924 and 1928 Summer Olympics. FIFA recognizes these as senior world championships. In 2021, FIFA confirmed that Uruguay could continue to use all four stars on their shirts.

1901

1902–03

1905–07

1908–10

1910–present

Kit Sponsors

Kit supplier	Period
Adidas	1974–1982
Le Coq Sportif	1983–1986
Puma	1987–1991
Ennerre	1992–1998
Tenfield	1999–2001
L-Sporto	2002–2004
Uhlsport	2004–2006
Jako	2006–2007
Puma	2007–2023
MGR Sport	2024
Nike	2024–

Home Stadium

Since 1930, Uruguay has played its home games at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo. The stadium was built to celebrate 100 years of Uruguay's first constitution. It held 90,000 people when it first opened. The stadium hosted many matches in the 1930 World Cup, including the final.

Team Rivalries

Argentina

The "Clasico de Rio de la Plata" with Argentina is the oldest international football rivalry outside the UK. They played in important finals, like the 1928 Olympics and the first World Cup final in 1930.

Brazil

Uruguay and Brazil first played in 1916. They have met in many important matches, including the famous 1950 World Cup final. Uruguay won that game in front of a record crowd. They also met in the 1970 World Cup semi-final, which Brazil won.

Current Team and Staff

Coaching Staff

Position	Name
Head coach	Marcelo Bielsa
Assistant coaches	Pablo Quiroga Diego Reyes
Goalkeeping coach	Enzo Ferrari

Current Players

The following 29 players were called up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches in June 2025.

Caps and goals are correct as of June 10, 2025, after the match against Venezuela.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Cristopher Fiermarin	(1998-01-01) 1 January 1998 (age 27)	0	0	Deportes Tolima
12	1GK	Franco Israel	(2000-04-22) 22 April 2000 (age 25)	2	0	Sporting CP
23	1GK	Santiago Mele	(1997-09-06) 6 September 1997 (age 27)	6	0	Monterrey
2	2DF	José María Giménez (captain)	(1995-01-20) 20 January 1995 (age 30)	96	8	Atlético Madrid
3	2DF	Sebastián Cáceres	(1999-08-18) 18 August 1999 (age 26)	21	0	América
4	2DF	Ronald Araújo	(1999-03-07) 7 March 1999 (age 26)	23	1	Barcelona
13	2DF	Guillermo Varela	(1993-03-24) 24 March 1993 (age 32)	24	0	Flamengo
16	2DF	Mathías Olivera	(1997-10-31) 31 October 1997 (age 27)	30	2	Napoli
19	2DF	Santiago Bueno	(1998-11-09) 9 November 1998 (age 26)	6	0	Wolverhampton Wanderers
22	2DF	Joaquín Piquerez	(1998-08-24) 24 August 1998 (age 26)	15	0	Palmeiras
	2DF	José Luis Rodríguez	(1997-03-14) 14 March 1997 (age 28)	3	0	Vasco da Gama
	2DF	Nicolás Marichal	(2001-03-17) 17 March 2001 (age 24)	3	0	Dynamo Moscow
5	3MF	Manuel Ugarte	(2001-04-11) 11 April 2001 (age 24)	31	1	Manchester United
6	3MF	Rodrigo Bentancur	(1997-06-25) 25 June 1997 (age 28)	70	3	Tottenham Hotspur
8	3MF	Nahitan Nández	(1995-12-28) 28 December 1995 (age 29)	69	0	Al-Qadsiah
10	3MF	Giorgian de Arrascaeta	(1994-06-01) 1 June 1994 (age 31)	56	11	Flamengo
14	3MF	Lucas Torreira	(1996-02-11) 11 February 1996 (age 29)	40	0	Galatasaray
15	3MF	Nicolás Fonseca	(1998-10-19) 19 October 1998 (age 26)	5	0	León
20	3MF	Maximiliano Araújo	(2000-02-15) 15 February 2000 (age 25)	24	3	Sporting CP
21	3MF	Rodrigo Zalazar	(1999-08-12) 12 August 1999 (age 26)	3	2	Braga
	3MF	Emiliano Martínez	(1999-08-17) 17 August 1999 (age 26)	4	0	Palmeiras
	3MF	Juan Manuel Sanabria	(2000-03-29) 29 March 2000 (age 25)	0	0	Atlético San Luis
7	4FW	Rodrigo Aguirre	(1994-10-01) 1 October 1994 (age 30)	6	2	América
9	4FW	Agustín Álvarez	(2001-05-19) 19 May 2001 (age 24)	5	1	Elche
11	4FW	Facundo Pellistri	(2001-12-20) 20 December 2001 (age 23)	36	2	Panathinaikos
17	4FW	Cristian Olivera	(2002-04-17) 17 April 2002 (age 23)	12	0	Grêmio
18	4FW	Brian Rodríguez	(2000-05-20) 20 May 2000 (age 25)	28	4	América
	4FW	Facundo Torres	(2000-04-13) 13 April 2000 (age 25)	19	1	Palmeiras
	4FW	Luciano Rodríguez	(2003-07-16) 16 July 2003 (age 22)	4	0	Bahia

Players Called Up Recently

The following players have also been called up to the Uruguay squad in the past twelve months.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Sergio Rochet	(1993-03-23) 23 March 1993 (age 32)	33	0	Internacional	v.  Bolivia, 25 March 2025
GK	Kevin Martínez	(2005-01-27) 27 January 2005 (age 20)	0	0	Danubio	v.  Bolivia, 25 March 2025
DF	Marcelo Saracchi	(1998-04-23) 23 April 1998 (age 27)	9	0	Boca Juniors	v.  Bolivia, 25 March 2025
DF	Lucas Agazzi	(2005-05-02) 2 May 2005 (age 20)	0	0	Defensor Sporting	v.  Bolivia, 25 March 2025
DF	Paolo Calione	(2006-05-22) 22 May 2006 (age 19)	0	0	Nacional	v.  Bolivia, 25 March 2025
DF	Patricio Pacífico	(2006-04-08) 8 April 2006 (age 19)	0	0	Defensor Sporting	v.  Bolivia, 25 March 2025
DF	Juan Rodríguez	(2005-05-30) 30 May 2005 (age 20)	0	0	Peñarol	v.  Brazil, 19 November 2024
DF	Santiago Mouriño	(2002-02-13) 13 February 2002 (age 23)	0	0	Alavés	v.  Ecuador, 15 October 2024
DF	Lucas Olaza	(1994-07-21) 21 July 1994 (age 31)	7	0	Krasnodar	v.  Venezuela, 10 September 2024
DF	Agustín Sant'Anna	(1997-07-27) 27 July 1997 (age 28)	0	0	Red Bull Bragantino	v.  Venezuela, 10 September 2024
DF	Tomás Viera	(2006-03-18) 18 March 2006 (age 19)	0	0	Nacional	v.  Venezuela, 10 September 2024
MF	Federico Valverde (vice-captain)	(1998-07-22) 22 July 1998 (age 27)	69	8	Real Madrid	v.  Bolivia, 25 March 2025
MF	Nicolás de la Cruz	(1997-06-01) 1 June 1997 (age 28)	33	5	Flamengo	v.  Bolivia, 25 March 2025
MF	Germán Barbas	(2007-09-17) 17 September 2007 (age 17)	0	0	Peñarol	v.  Bolivia, 25 March 2025
MF	Erico Cuello	(2005-05-25) 25 May 2005 (age 20)	0	0	Defensor Sporting	v.  Bolivia, 25 March 2025
MF	Facundo Bernal	(2003-08-21) 21 August 2003 (age 22)	0	0	Fluminense	v.  Ecuador, 15 October 2024
MF	Marco Oroná	(2005-08-06) 6 August 2005 (age 20)	0	0	Peñarol	v.  Ecuador, 15 October 2024
MF	Lucas Sanabria	(2003-12-26) 26 December 2003 (age 21)	0	0	LA Galaxy	v.  Ecuador, 15 October 2024
MF	Tiago Palacios	(2001-03-28) 28 March 2001 (age 24)	0	0	Estudiantes	v.  Venezuela, 10 September 2024
MF	Lucas Pino	(2005-10-30) 30 October 2005 (age 19)	0	0	Montevideo City Torque	v.  Venezuela, 10 September 2024
FW	Darwin Núñez	(1999-06-24) 24 June 1999 (age 26)	35	13	Liverpool	v.  Bolivia, 25 March 2025
FW	Federico Viñas	(1998-06-30) 30 June 1998 (age 27)	4	1	Real Oviedo	v.  Bolivia, 25 March 2025
FW	Joaquín Lavega	(2005-02-03) 3 February 2005 (age 20)	0	0	Fluminense	v.  Bolivia, 25 March 2025
FW	Pablo Suárez	(2005-11-14) 14 November 2005 (age 19)	0	0	Montevideo Wanderers	v.  Bolivia, 25 March 2025
FW	Matías Abaldo	(2004-04-02) 2 April 2004 (age 21)	0	0	Defensor Sporting	v.  Ecuador, 15 October 2024
FW	Miguel Merentiel	(1996-02-24) 24 February 1996 (age 29)	1	0	Boca Juniors	v.  Venezuela, 10 September 2024
FW	Luis Suárez	(1987-01-24) 24 January 1987 (age 38)	143	69	Inter Miami	v.  Paraguay, 6 September 2024 RET
Notes INJ = Withdrew due to injury PRE = Preliminary squad RET = Retired from the national team SUS = Serving suspension WD = Player withdrew from the squad due to non-injury issue.

Player Records

Most Games Played

Diego Godín is Uruguay's most capped player with 161 appearances.

Top Goal Scorers

Luis Suárez is Uruguay's top scorer with 69 goals.

Team Achievements

Worldwide Titles

• FIFA World Cup
  • Champions (2): 1930, 1950
• Olympic Games
  • Gold medal (2): 1924, 1928

Continental Titles

• Copa América
  • Champions (15): 1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1926, 1935, 1942, 1956, 1959 (Ecuador), 1967, 1983, 1987, 1995, 2011

Summary of Major Titles

Senior Competition				Total
FIFA World Cup	2	0	0	2
Olympic Games	2	0	0	2
CONMEBOL Copa América	15	6	10	31
Panamerican Championship1	0	0	1	1
CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions	0	1	0	1
Total	19	7	11	37

Notes

1. Official senior competition organized by PFC. It was a unified confederation of the Americas, which was formed by NAFC, CCCF and CONMEBOL.

Images for kids

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  Uruguay before its first official match against Argentina on July 20, 1902.

• 

  The team that won its second gold medal at the 1928 Summer Olympics.

• 

  The team that beat Argentina in the final match of the 1930 FIFA World Cup to win Uruguay's first FIFA World Cup.

• 

  The team that beat Brazil in the decisive match of the 1950 FIFA World Cup to win Uruguay's second FIFA World Cup.

• 

  Rodolfo Rodríguez raises the Mundialito trophy won in January 1981.

• 

  Uruguay vs Saudi Arabia match at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

• 

  Uruguay at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, wearing the light blue shirt they have worn since 1910.

• 

  Diego Godín is Uruguay's most capped player with 161 appearances.

• 

  Luis Suárez is Uruguay's top scorer with 69 goals.

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Uruguay para niños