Manager: Oscar Tabarez
Captain: Diego Lugano

Continent: South America
Nicknames: La Celeste
Group: A

World Cup appearances: 10
Best World Cup: Winners; 1930 & 1950
FIFA World Ranking: 18

Uruguay Team Profile

The two time winners of the World Cup, albeit their last crown coming 60 years ago, will be gunning for the hat-trick in South Africa, although they will need to defy the odds. Uruguay haven’t been given much hope by the bookies, perhaps because they weren’t entirely convincing during qualifying after needing a play-off with Costa Rica to finally seal their tickets to Africa. However, the Uruguayans are a dangerous nation as they boast some serious quality in their ranks, and Oscar Tabarez does have an outside chance of guiding Uruguay to a successful World Cup – which would be qualifying for the last sixteen of the competition.

Uruguay had many admirers back when they won the World Cup, twice, as they are one of the smallest nations competing in this summers showcase event and are officially the smallest nation ever to win a World Cup, with an estimated 4Million population. However, all you need for a successful team is one or two decent individuals and Uruguay have that heading into South Africa. However, this will be just their second World Cup in 20 years and there are doubts about whether the players, who won’t be used to the hype and expectations set back home, can handle the spotlight and pressure. They are a nation who have, however, qualified 10 times for a World Cup and have been very consistent in tournaments back in the continent of South America.

Uruguay Key Players

Luis Suarez

I’ve long admired the Ajax forward as he is a quality forward and one that will demand a lot of cash in due course. Suarez has become Forlan’s ample striking parter for Uruguay and the pair have formed a budding relationship up front for their country, with the pair scoring 12 goals between them during qualifying, with Suarez bagging five of them. However, it is Suarez who heads into South Africa in the form of his life as he’s been banging in the goals in Holland for fun, scoring a colossal 22 league goals in 21 league appearances. He has been at the forefront of Ajax’s charge for a craved title, with his deadly finishing and self-made ability to create his own goals why he’s been such a success back in Holland. However, the Dutch league has fallen down the ranks in recent years and it will be interesting to see if Suarez can replicate his club form in South Africa.

Diego Forlan

The Athletico Madrid forward has been an instant hit in Spain and has won the Golden boot award twice while at Madrid, the first coming in 2005 while the second came last season after he scored 33 goals in 32 games for his club. Many of you will remember Forlan from his days at Manchester United where he was often touted as a flop for his dry spells in front of goals. However, he has been a sensation in Spain and has been just as prolific for his country, scoring 22 goals in 60 caps. He is a proper forward in that he has this selfish manner to him but he backs it up with plenty of goals. He is a typical predator in and around the goal, while he also knows how to finish under pressure. Forlan will be a danger, a nuisance if you like, for any defence in Africa.

Strengths

Their best quality would have to be their attacking play, especially as it’s spearheaded by two of Europe’s best strikers in Diego Forlan & Luis Suarez, the latter one of the upcoming stars and a future hit. When Uruguay do get forward, they cause opposing defences all sort of problems as their deadly striking duet know how to exploit gaps in defence and put themselves into scoring positions. They also have players which can strike a ball from anywhere and this Uruguay side does have goals in them.

Weaknesses

Uruguay are a confidence side and if they don’t make a bright start in South African then doubts will start to creep in. They are also very inconsistent and don’t exactly excel away from home. They were also beaten by both Brazil & Argentina twice during qualifying, meaning their credentials when they do come up against the elite nations aren’t flattering as they have proven to be bottlers in the crunch games. A perfect example of this was in Uruguay’s last qualifier when all they needed was a draw to qualify for the finals. Of course, despite Argentina enduring one of their worst spells in it’s prestigious history, Uruguay lost the encounter 1-0, on home soil, and their performance on the night shown everyone that Uruguay still lack the nerve and steel to come up good in the big games.

Uruguay Qualification for the World Cup

Sector: South America
Position: 5th
Win-Draw-Lose: 6-6-6
Goals Scored: 28
Goals Conceded: 20

Uruguay has a largely inconsistent campaign in which one minute they appeared to have slid claims for qualifying only to then ruin their chances. They did bottle their final qualifier in which they would have qualified via a fourth place finish had they of avoided defeat to Argentina. However, their fate was instead left to a two-legged play-off with Costa Rica from North America. Uruguay did, only just mind, beat Costa Rica over two legs after winning the away leg 1-0 before a nervy encounter in Uruguay, drawing 1-1.

World Cup Potential: 3/5

Uruguay have more than quality in their squad to spring a surprise and we feel their huge price tag makes them a more than worthy outside bet. The likes of Diego Forlan & Luis Suarez will be key in their chances to land a surprise World Cup but they’ve proven only recently that the big games just aren’t for them and we could quite easily see Uruguay make an earlier exit than we want nor expected. Still, the potential is there for a few big displays and they will be a dangerous opponent for everyone.

Uruguay World Cup Betting Odds

Uruguay to win the World Cup (Outright): 12/1 Bet365

Before the World Cup the odds on Uruguay were 100/1 

Official Uruguay World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers

Fernando Muslera (Lazio Roma)

Juan-Guillermo Castillo (Deportivo Cali)

Martin Silva (Defensor Sporting)

Defenders

Diego Lugano (Fenerbahce)

Diego Godin (Villarreal)

Andres Scotti (Colo Colo)

Jorge Fucile (Porto)

Martin Caceres (Juventus)

Mauricio Victorino (Universidad de Chile)

Maximiliano Pereira (Benfica)

Midfielders

Walter Gargano (Napoli)

Egidio Arevalo-Rios (Penarol)

Sebastian Eguren (AIK Stockholm)

Diego Perez (Monaco)

Alvaro Pereira (Porto)

Alvaro Fernandez (Universidad de Chile)

Ignacio Gonzalez (Valencia)

Nicolas Lodeiro (Ajax)

Strikers

Sebastian Fernandez (Banfield)

Luis Suarez (Ajax)

Diego Forlan (Atletico Madrid)

Sebastian Abreu (Botafogo)

Edinson Cavani (Palermo)

last update: 18 June 2010

World Cup 2010 Uruguay Fixtures – Group A

26/06 – 15.00 – Round of the last 16: Uruguay – South Korea: 2-1

02/07 – 19.30 – Quarter Finals: Uruguay – Ghana: 4-2 on penalties (1-1)

06/07 – 19.30 – Semi Finals: Urugay – Holland

World Cup 2010 Group A - Table

World Cup Fixtures and Results

World Cup 2010 Third Place Play-Off Odds

Uruguay to win: 9/2 at SportingBet
Draw: 13/5 at Bet365
Germany to win: 8/11 at Bet365

Uruguay

Uruguay, after battling well against Holland in the 2010 FIFA World Cup semi final, find themselves in the third place play off match against Germany, a fixture which is often met with scepticism. Usually nations simply give a run out to the squad players who have not really gotten a chance to shine at all through the tournament. This devalues the game a little bit, but after missing out on a place in the World Cup final, how motivated are nations supposed to be? Moral and interest probably won’t be that high, but Uruguay can be very proud of the progress which they have made through the tournament. After basically coming from nowhere, they were on the brink of making the World Cup Final, when they had been fully overlooked in World Cup betting at the start of the tournament. Their strengths have been in the way they stick together as a team, and while their style has not been the most exciting to watch, they have certainly contributed to the World Cup in a large way. After being the last of the 32 teams to qualify for South Africa 2010, they exceeded everyone’s expectations, and now they can finish in third place, which would crown a big step forward for the nation.

A dogged, hard grafting team, Uruguay have suffocated teams and have hit hard on the counter attack. They have been helped with a wonderful attack which consists of Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez. It will be interesting now just how far Uruguay can go in terms of building upon this success. Being the second smallest populated country at the World Cup, Uruguay have made the best of their resources, and now they need to ensure that they become a force to be reckoned with in South Africa for some time to come. Their eventual undoing was not having enough creativity in midfield. While Forlan was playing with an injury, the Uruguay side were missing the creative influence of Nicholas Lodeiro in the middle of the park, and therefore the South Americans failed to get any real quality distribution forward. They also had to play their semi final against the Netherlands without the quality of Suarez up front, who was red carded in Uruguay’s quarter final triumph against Ghana for punching a shot off the line. His controversial action paid dividends as Ghana missed the last minute penalty, and Uruguay pushed on through in a penalty shoot out. Who really would have predicted Uruguay finishing in the last four at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The last four was supposed to be all about the glamour sides like Argentina and Brazil, but in a World Cup full of surprises, the success of Uruguay has been one of the biggest.

They will not have won many friends because of the Suarez handball, but they deserve their plaudits. Star man Diego Forlan, who hit four goals in the tournament, revealed that he had been playing the semi final with an injury, but he can hold his head high knowing that he has been one of the best performers of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Whether the semi final will be the end of his World Cup adventures remains to be seen, as his injury may well keep him out of the third placed match. It is always a strange occasion watching two teams who are a bit apathetic towards the occasion take to the field. But the match is there to be played, and one player returning to the side will probably be Suarez, who has three goals to his name. Injuries and suspension hurt Uruguay badly ahead of their semi final match, and now coach Oscar Tabarez will hope to inspire his men to finish third ahead of Germany. Against the odds, Uruguay were the last South American team left in the tournament amongst Europe’s best, and now what would really be the crowning moment on their 2010 FIFA World Cup campaign, would be for them to really come out of their shell and put on a fiesta of football against Germany. There really is nothing to lose anymore for them, after their World Cup dreams ended with a 3-2 defeat by Holland. There has been enough quality in the side though to suggest that they have plenty to build with, but four years is a long time in football, and Uruguay need to use that time wisely in nurturing their youngster.

Germany

The biggest question surrounding Germany, will be how well their youngsters will respond to the disappointment of losing to pre tournament favourites Spain in the semi finals. Germany have been one of the most thrilling teams to watch at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, putting four goals past Australia, England and Argentina on their way to the semi finals. Joachim Loew has built a fantastic young team, but they fell just a little bit short when it mattered most, as the experienced Spaniards got the better of them. Germany may feel like they let themselves down in the end, adopting a much more conservative approach to the game against the Spaniards, as opposed to going out and playing their own match. The Germans were sitting back far too much, worrying about the threats of the Spaniards. All it took was a lapse in concentration at the back from the German defence, which let in Spanish defender Carles Puyol with a headed goal. With the Germans famed through history for their discipline in defence, it was a tough blow for them to suffer. The Germans were also missing four goal Thomas Mueller for the semi final, and his absence felt quite big. That extra little spark when breaking forward was missing, and the chances for the Germans were few and far between.

We did not see the expansive, thrilling German side that had took the tournament by storm. Instead we saw caution, and hopefully, for the World Cup third place match, the attacking Germany will re-emerge. They will be favourites against Uruguay on the day, naturally, and it will be a chance to stretch their legs again without any pressure upon them. After being starved of service in the semi final, striker Miroslav Klose will be hungry to put the ball in the back of the net, as he looks to equal Ronaldo’s World Cup goal scoring record of 15. This could be the German goal scoring legend’s swan song in World Cup history, and while it would have been more fitting for him to have gotten his goal in the World Cup final against fierce rivals Holland, he will have to settle for the chances which come his way against Uruguay. After all, all goals count, no matter who the opposition are.

The 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil will be the next marker for these young Germans on the world stage. They looked to be packed with talent, with the likes of Thomas Mueller and Mesut Oezil dominating the team. Germany have invested heavily in their youth, and coach Joachim Low and Jurgen Klinsmann can be credited with all the hard work they did in shaking up German football, and adapting a more positive approach to their game. Sadly it deserted them against Spain, but that is what playing against the best in the World will do to you. Perhaps it was a touch of the big stage nerves as well, because the Germans did not look anywhere as near as confident on the ball as they were in their quarter final demolition of Argentina. The pitch for the Spain v Germany semi final didn’t help the game either, which turned out to be an low key affair, in which the Spaniards dominated possession. Even after the goal, and with the Germans pushing further and further forward, there was little penetration from the Germans. They only really had one clear chance which fell to Kroos instead of Klose, which Spain’s keeper Iker Casillas parried away. No doubt Joachim Loew will give his youngsters another crack at the whip against Uruguay, as this will be a big test of their mental toughness.

Germany V Uruguay Betting Tips & Prediction

Match Verdict – Who is likely to come out on top of this one? The Germans will be favourite and it is easy to see why. With the pressure off, their young stars could well find the freedom to express themselves. The biggest hope for this game, is that Uruguay actually play more of an open game, more open than we have seen them at the tournament so far, and that will leave them with a big in their column before heading back to South Africa. They have been one of the success stories, and whether or not Forlan plays could be a key factor in them finishing third or fourth, and missing Lodeiro and captain Lugano hurt them in the semi’s. Tabarez may just throw in the unused players now their tournament is over, which may help in seeing them be more expansive. Germany will be of the mindset that they want to build for Euro 2012 and beyond, so we should see a strong side from them. Their youngster have a great future in front of them, and a third placed finish at the World Cup would be a major triumph for their technical and mental ability. A win for Germany would be a good thing for football, championing the success of youth.

Under 2.5 Goals 21/20 at SportingBet

Current Uruguay v Germany Odds:

Uruguay v Holland Betting Odds

Holland to win: 7/10 at Paddy Power
Draw: 13/5 at SkyBet
Uruguay to win: 11/2 at Bet365

World Cup Semi Final
Date: Tuesday, July 6th
Kick Off: 19.30 GMT

Uruguay

Despite having four teams in the Quarter Finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, South America have only one representative left, as the remaining Europeans took charge of the competition. Uruguay saw the favoured Brazilians and Argentineans fall by the way side, as they themselves battled through to the semi finals in a tight match against Ghana. Uruguay had the unenviable task of taking on Ghana in the Quarter Finals, who were the last remaining team from Africa. That meant supporters from South America were heavily outnumbered on the African continent, but they were the ones who smiling at the end, after seeing their team win through on penalties. Uruguay have been commended throughout the tournament for their strong defensive play, but they largely had the upper hand in all aspects of their contest against Ghana, who lacked a little punch up front. But it was Ghana who struck first, with a long range effort from midfielder Muntari, who caught Uruguayan keeper Fernando Muslera off guard. It took a great free kick from striker Diego Forlan to draw Uruguay level, but all of the controversy game at the end of extra time, when fellow striker Luis Suarez cleared a shot off his own goal line with his hands. He saw red and Ghana star striker Asamoah Gyan had the chance to put his side into the semi finals, the first time an African nation had been there, from the penalty spot. Gyan hit the bar, and the game went to a shoot-out, which the South Americans won 4-2.

Uruguay have played well throughout the tournament, even if they have not been one of the most exciting teams to watch. They have a superb resilience and team work about them, which is the underlying root of all of their success. They have scored crucial goals when they needed to, and have defended for long periods of game, being quite comfortable in their role of being a defensive team. But they are a side which show a lot of quality when they have time on the ball, with Diego Forlan being at the heart of most of it. While known for his striking prowess across Europe, the number has more tricks up his sleeve than just putting the ball in net. You can watch and admire how he finds space, delivers dead balls with accuracy as well as picking out creative passes. Uruguay are just as comfortable on the ball as any other South American team, but because they have not go the out and out quality as Brazil or Argentina, they work to tactics which work for them. That is being conservative and by giving very little away, it means that they do not have to chase games too hard. Uruguay’s defence works from the front to the back, and the forwards press quite hard to stop the ball getting forward in the first place. The scrapping and quality tackling is a strength of the Uruguayans, especially in midfield, where there are three core players who keep compact. With the two wide forwards dropping back to held in midfield, there is a tough sky blue wall for opponents to get through.

But the South Americans naturally have very good quality up front as well, particularly in the link between Forlan and Suarez. Now however, after his indiscretion in the Quarter Final, Uruguay will have to do without Luis Suarez as they take on Holland in the semi finals. This is quite a big blow for Uruguay, as Suarez is quite the prolific scorer. But, because they generally set up with three players up top, they may be able to cope. Uruguay do put out three forwards, with Forlan linking up between attacking midfielder and extra forward. It is a system which offers a lot of defensive benefits, as well as having the power in position to attack on the counter attack. Uruguay will go into their semi final match as underdogs against Holland, as the Dutch have been riding high on a long run of unbeaten games. But Uruguay can take confidence into the match, simply because of their defence, and knowing that the Netherlands have not looked particularly great through the tournament. Holland v Uruguay will see the South Americans thinking that this as a chance to bring down one of Europe’s elite, by playing a tight, compact game as they always do. Uruguay are a great World Cup Betting tip to grind down, dent the confidence of, and beat Holland.

Uruguay are not a prolific team going forward though, but that does not mean that they do not have goals in them. They are a huge threat from set pieces, and when hitting teams on the break. Holland’s style will suit Uruguay to some extents, as the South Americans will be facing a patient team which like to knock the ball around and look for beautiful goals. Uruguay will be pretty confident that they can negate the threats from Holland, simply by keeping things tight in the middle of the park, and cutting off the supply line to the forwards. They will have to deal with opponents who like to throw a bit more width into their game than any of their opponents have done so far, but with Suarez having to be absent, it may allow for an extra out and out midfielder to spread out and clog up the midfield, leaving just two strikers up top. There is not a harder working team left in the tournament, and the Uruguay strikers always drop back as much as possible anyway, so they always seem to have extra midfielders on the pitch.

Uruguay Team News: Midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro is injured. Captain and defender Diego Lugano is a doubt. Jorge Lugano and Luis Suarez, suspended.

Holland

Holland have not been playing anywhere near their potential of Total Football, the style associated with the Dutch. While they have gone nearly thirty matches now without losing, there appears to be something lacking in their game, an edge that is not quite sharp enough which may see them fail in the Holland v Uruguay semi final. That seems an odd thing to say about a team which just went out and beat Brazil 2-1 in the Quarter Finals. Holland found themselves behind early on in the match after the Brazillian attack were cutting through them like a hot knife through butter. To their credit, they got themselves back into the match with a piece of luck from a cross from key man Wesley Sneijder, which eluded everyone including Julio Cesar in the Brazilian goal. Holland went on to win the match, largely helped by the South Americans completely losing their cool and capitulating, with Brazil’s Felipe Melo being shown the red card. It was a feisty, tetchy match, in which the Netherland were guilty of showing unsportsmanlike conduct, with winger Arjen Robben in particular spending a lot of time on the ground in drawing fouls. He was lucky to still be on the pitch for simulation, as the Dutch players milked all they could in playing up to the referee and agitating the Brazilians.

Holland have not displayed as much firepower as they were expected to have, and while going behind against Brazil was the first time that they have had their backs against the wall, they have not been overly convincing in proving that they have enough to win the World Cup. However, luck does play a huge part in football, and the Dutch are now just two victories away from winning the greatest prize in the game. South Americans Uruguay stand in their way now and it will be tough test for the Dutch, who will need to show a little more passion than they have done. They are on the brink of something good, and perhaps they are saving their best for last, and their best will be needed to break down the resilient Uruguayans. There were rumours of fractions in the Dutch camp after Robin Van Persie was moaning about being substituted in match. He had a very poor afternoon against Brazil, and him not being on song will not help the Dutch cause any. The key man for Holland is Inter Milan’s Wesley Sneijder, who floats around linking up the midfield and attack. It was his two goals which caused the downfall of Brazil, and Uruguay simply have to find a way to keep him quite. They do that, and they will be giving themselves a huge boost.

At the back Holland lost their main centre half Joris Mathijsen just before kick off, and the aging legs of Andre Ooijer had to step in. The Dutch were not, in any way shape or form convincing against Brazil at the back, and Uruguay will fancy their chances there, especially from dead ball situations. The best way for Uruguay to get through Holland will be going down the middle of the park, where the South Americans will be able to out work, out battle and out tackle the European side. There is not a great deal of toughness in the middle for Holland, with Mark Van Bommel being the main man who holds things together. Quite how he was on the pitch at the end of the match against Brazil is quite a mystery, as he was guilty of some very blatant fouls. He was quite reckless, and if the craft and speed of Forlan can get the better of him, then the South Americans will be in with quite a good chance of winning this one. For Holland, this will now represent their best opportunity to win the World Cup in their history. They will believe that they are facing the weakest team left in the competition, and their place in the final should be already booked. This is something else which could work against their favour, underestimating the technical capabilities of the Uruguayans. Holland need to show a lot more conviction, and a lot more creativity than they have done in the tournament so far, in order to break down Uruguay. They have the talent, but do they have the team to rise again and get the job done without being over complacent?

Netherlands Team News: Gergory Van Der Wiel, Nigel De Jong (suspended). Robin Van Persie, Joris Mathijsen (injury doubts).

Holland v Uruguay World Cup Betting Prediction: Uruguay could again edge this one, adding another upset to the list of unexpected results for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Uruguay +0.75 Asian Handicap for 41/40 at Bet365
 

Current World Cup Betting Prices

European Champions Spain have again stretched their legs at the top of the World Cup 2010 betting chart. After coming into the tournament as outright favourites, their less than emphatic run of results, saw their price lengthen in comparison to Brazil and Argentina, who had theirs shortened. Spain though have had the last laugh over the two South American power houses, as they both fell by the wayside in the Quarter Finals, while Spain ambled on unconvincingly to the World Cup Semi Finals. Spain are now back as favourites to win the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and the best price around on them at the moment is Spain 2/1 at SkyBet to be lifting the trophy on July 11th in Johannesburg. They have a mighty tough task in their semi final though, as they take on the tournament’s most exciting and in form team, England’s conquerors, Germany. The Germans have been scoring for fun, and their young, dynamic team have looked very impressive. As they are going head to head with Spain in the Germany v Spain semi final and are not starting as favourites in the World Cup betting for that match, they sit behind Spain in the outright market. There are still worth a good punt though, especially as they are priced at 9/4 with SkyBet. Out of a four horse race, that is not bad at all.

Germany are priced the same as Holland 9/4 at Victor Chandler at the moment. This says even more about Germany, as Holland have the perceived easier task of taking on Uruguay in their semi final. Taking on the favourites Spain, Germany are priced evenly with the Dutch, which suggests, and rightly so, that the Germans are much better than Holland. Out of the four teams which remain in the hunt for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, neither Holland nor Spain have played particularly well. They have been winning their matches, but not playing any world beating football or running out as emphatic winners. Germany on the other hand have been firing goals in, left right and centre, and look a much stronger bet than the two of them. They are not favourites, simply because they are inexperienced compared to Spain, but out of the Spain v Germany semi final, you would realistically expect the winner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup to emerge.

The other team which should not be overlooked, is Uruguay, the last South American team standing. Come the quarter finals, South America looked to be dominating things with four teams left in. However, the Europeans came through strongly to take three of the remaining four spots in the tournament. So Uruguay are left flying the South American flag, and while controversy surrounds their striker Luis Suarez for punching Ghana’s last ditch attempt at a winner off the line, the Uruguayans are fully deserving of their spot in the semi finals. They are a phenomenally hard working team, but not as expansive of exciting to watch as other nations. They are more than capable of beating Holland in their semi final, simply because they have the capacity to outwork the Dutch, but they are now rank outsiders to win the tournament, out at 13/1 at Bwin to win the World Cup. Are they worth a punt? They are the underdogs, but yes, even if you get them down as an each way bet, at the price they are, they are probably worth a dabble.

Here are some 2010 FIFA World Cup Stats to draw some comparisons to help your World Cup Betting.

To Reach World Cup Final Odds
Netherlands: 1/3 at Totesport
Spain: 4/5 at Stan James
Germany: Evens at Totesport
Uruguay: 13/5 at SportingBet

Name the World Cup Finalists
Spain/Holland: 17/11 at Bwin
Germany/Holland: 17/10 at Stan James
Spain/Uruguay: 6/1 at Bet365
Germany/Uruguay: 13/2 at SportingBet

Betting Guide to Uruguay

The last time that Uruguay were in the semi finals of the World Cup was forty years ago, and not since 1950 when they beat Brazil in the final, have they been within a whisker of glory. Uruguay have won the World Cup twice in their history, but they were soon left behind as the game developed more, with Brazil and Argentina rising to power from South America. Uruguay have been perhaps the surprise team of the tournament so far, winning Group A and pushing on through to the quarter finals. Uruguay have a lot of historical background on their shoulders and for the first time in decades, they are actually looking to embrace their rich football history instead of being overwhelmed by it. They are coached by El Maestro, Oscar Tabarez, who sets up a very disciplined side that is very typical of the South American sides. South Americans use the ball well when in possession, but as not everyone can play like Brazil or Argentina, Uruguay rely on their physical strength and defensive organisational skills. They still have the crisp passing and inventive movement off the ball of South American teams, they are just more cautious in their approach, as they have not got the overall ability to match the Brazils of this world. This, in no way, is detrimental to Uruguay, who have sort of found their niche in play an organised system.

While the style of Uruguay has not had the overall flair of any of the other South Americans, they have attracted more and more interest because of how economical and efficient they are. They know that they have the firepower to go and get goals, but they do not play an offensive game. They sit back and wait for the opposition to be too adventurous going forward, and then strike themselves on the counter attack. While that is the main game plan which has been in operation during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, there have been periods when Uruguay have been a little more adventurous going forward, and they stroke the ball around like any other team from their continent. They have an extra gear into which they can kick, if they really need to, but unless they have to, then they are not going to throw caution to the wind. This is the strategy which has helped them counter teams which are faster than them, and who like to play the ball in the middle of the park. Uruguay have been very disciplined in not giving away many fouls, but their tackling and closing down in midfield is highly impressive. They are a hard working team, and if spirit and work ethic alone could get you to the World Cup final, then they would be there. They have been an oddly negative breath of fresh air in the tournament, and have won their fans. If they do need to chase games, then they could really show their glittering attacking skills, after Tabarez admitted that his team have not been as adventurous as others. The capability to be so though, is there.

Tactics: The star players are actually in their forwards, even though a lot of their game is based on defence. When you start spreading names like Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez around, you know you have two strikers who can keep good company with some of the world’s elite. There is a third striker on the pitch, Edinson Cavani, who does a tremendous amount of tracking back when the opponents have the ball. As with all South American teams, the key spot in the team goes to their most creative player, and ex Manchester United player Diego Forlan holds that precious number 10 shirt. He doesn’t play as an out and out striker, leaving those roles for Suarez and Cavani, but Forlan drops in behind them and pulls a lot of the strings. If he does wander up top with Suarez, then you may see Cavani holding back for example. This is because there are three midfielders behind them anyway, with the incredibly consistent Diego Perez the defensive midfielder. With two players either side of him, Uruguay make things difficult for teams who want to go through them. They force opposition wide to snuffle out attacks.
 
Coach: Oscar Tabarez - a very experienced man, who, like any international manager has had his critics. Main points of concerns about him, is that he is not a very inspirational leader, and has tinkered with tactics a few too many times, making the side unsettled. There haven’t been any signs of that though, and that same criticism could be levelled at Argentina’s Maradona, and look what he is doing. His style is not expansive, but he does work with what he has got and gets the best out of them. He isn’t scared of changing tactics during a match, and he will adapt as he goes along to situations

Uruguay World Cup 2010 Stats

Results
Uruguay 2, South Korea 1
Uruguay 1, Mexico 0
Uruguay 1, South Africa 0
Uruguay 0, France 0

Goals: 6 For, 1 Against
Cards: Y3, SY1, R0
Top Passer: Diego Forlan (188 passes, 58% completion rate)
Most Fouls: Luis Suarez, 8

Last 10 Match Uruguay Form:  WLWDWWDWWW

Probable Route to Winning the 2010 FIFA World Cup: Ghana (Q/F), Brazil (S/F), Spain (F)

Uruguay Betting Tips

Stage of Elimination
Quarter Finals: 13/8 at SkyBet
Semi Finals: 5/6 at SportingBet
Winners: 11/2 at Bet365
Runners Up: 7/1 at Coral

Uruguay’s Top Goal scorer
Luis Suarez 1/5 at SkyBet (3 goals)
Diego Forlan 4/1 at Ladbrokes (2 goals)

Uruguay Betting Tip: Uruguay 11/10 at Bet365 to beat Ghana in Quarter Finals

World Cup Group A Teams: France, Mexico, Uruguay and South Africa. The curtain raiser for the 2010 World Cup, is the fixture between host nation South Africa and Mexico. South Africa will have a lot of hype surrounding them, not to mention the hopes of the Rainbow Nation. But, when betting on the World Cup there is no room for any sentiments, as you simply want to make your wagers work the hardest for you. While they may not be a strong team, that does not mean that there is not potential for winning money, as you should consider betting on the weaker nations to be the best at being worst. Here in a series of previews of World Cup bets, we preview the top five best value World Cup Bets for Group A.

Group A Outright Winner: France Evens at SkyBet
There is a huge amount of uncertainty about the chances that France have of getting anywhere in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. But even with all of coach Raymond Domenech’s tinkering with the players and formation, there is a sense of inevitability about Group A. It is clearly not the toughest group in the World Cup, and there is much whispering in betting circles about some of the biggest upsets occurring in this group, simply because of the French. But France still remain firm outrights to win the group, and they actually represent good value to do that, simply because there is doubt over them. They are the experienced team full of World Cup heritage in Group A, and as much as there may be hints of upsets, it is hard to look beyond France winning the group. Here is the thing though, it may not be as straight forward as they would hope, but that doesn’t mean that they will not win it. The French have changed to a more attacking formation, and that could give them the edge they need. They are not a solid, accomplished team by any stretch of the imagination. Mexico probably are the biggest threat to them, a Mexico side who beat Italy in an international friendly as part of their build up. England beat them though without playing very well. What it boils down to, is that France do have the big time players and that just gives them the edge, however hard they may be pushed.

South Africa to Finish Bottom: 5/4 at SkyBet
The poor South African’s are in serious threat of becoming the first host nation in World Cup history not to reach the second round. They are actually on a long unbeaten run, scrapping for results wherever they go. They do show some stubbornness in their approach, but their tactical plan of playing with wing backs, means that they are easily picked off if teams sit back against them and catch them on the break. The South Africans have only been playing International Friendly matches, and while it is to their credit still that they have not been beaten, they are likely to find the level at the World Cup beyond them. The World Cup needs its hosts to stay in the competition as long as possible, and that could just be for three games unfortunately. Even if they scrape their way to three drawn matches, it does not look as if it will be enough to get them off the bottom, because the other three teams look like they are all capable of beating each other. Uruguay and Mexico looked evenly matched in World Cup Odds just behind France, and that leaves South Africa flailing in the group.

To Qualify Mexico: Evens at Paddy Power
Mexico recently beat Italy in an International Friendly as part of their warm up for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and while there are weaknesses there, there looks enough potential to get through to the second round. They showed against England that they could keep the ball well, but looked a little slack at the back. If they can tighten that up, then they may even push for the top spot in the group with France not being particularly strong. Betting on Mexico at the World Cup makes for some interesting reading, with some profit there to be garnered. The expected outcome is for France to top the group, and then have a scrap for second between Mexico and Uruguay. There does not appear to be too much between them, but the majority of World Cup betting will lean towards Mexico, as Uruguay have been very quiet in their approach to the tournament. Because they are close with Uruguay, any bet at around Evens for a team to qualify is very good value.

Most Group Stage Goals Scored: Uruguay 3/1 at Bwin
They have Diego Forlan in their ranks, and it is worth looking at Uruguay in this market. They should have the beating of South Africa, and should be able to find the holes in the Mexican and French defences. That’s not to say that they do not have frailties at the back of their own, but that doesn’t matter for this bet clearly. They scored 28 goals in 18 qualification games in the South American qualification zone, at an average of 1.56 goals per match. Mexico’s average was at 2.00 during qualification but they were in a much weaker zone, so it all should even out.

Most Group Stage Goals Conceded: South Africa 13/10 at Bwin
This bet is based on value alone, and there looks enough sense to back it quite well. They are perceived to be the weakest team in the group, and there is nothing much at the back to stop the other teams in the group exposing them. There really is not a very strong defence in this group, and the host nation’s could be the worst of a bad bunch, and it is hard to see the other teams conceding more than them overall.
 

Manager: Oscar Tabarez
Captain: Diego Lugano

Continent: South America
Nicknames: La Celeste
Group: A

World Cup appearances: 10
Best World Cup: Winners; 1930 & 1950
FIFA World Ranking: 18

Uruguay Team Profile

The two time winners of the World Cup, albeit their last crown coming 60 years ago, will be gunning for the hat-trick in South Africa, although they will need to defy the odds. Uruguay haven’t been given much hope by the bookies, perhaps because they weren’t entirely convincing during qualifying after needing a play-off with Costa Rica to finally seal their tickets to Africa. However, the Uruguayans are a dangerous nation as they boast some serious quality in their ranks, and Oscar Tabarez does have an outside chance of guiding Uruguay to a successful World Cup – which would be qualifying for the last sixteen of the competition.

Uruguay had many admirers back when they won the World Cup, twice, as they are one of the smallest nations competing in this summers showcase event and are officially the smallest nation ever to win a World Cup, with an estimated 4Million population. However, all you need for a successful team is one or two decent individuals and Uruguay have that heading into South Africa. However, this will be just their second World Cup in 20 years and there are doubts about whether the players, who won’t be used to the hype and expectations set back home, can handle the spotlight and pressure. They are a nation who have, however, qualified 10 times for a World Cup and have been very consistent in tournaments back in the continent of South America.

Uruguay Key Players

Luis Suarez

I’ve long admired the Ajax forward as he is a quality forward and one that will demand a lot of cash in due course. Suarez has become Forlan’s ample striking parter for Uruguay and the pair have formed a budding relationship up front for their country, with the pair scoring 12 goals between them during qualifying, with Suarez bagging five of them. However, it is Suarez who heads into South Africa in the form of his life as he’s been banging in the goals in Holland for fun, scoring a colossal 22 league goals in 21 league appearances. He has been at the forefront of Ajax’s charge for a craved title, with his deadly finishing and self-made ability to create his own goals why he’s been such a success back in Holland. However, the Dutch league has fallen down the ranks in recent years and it will be interesting to see if Suarez can replicate his club form in South Africa.

Diego Forlan

The Athletico Madrid forward has been an instant hit in Spain and has won the Golden boot award twice while at Madrid, the first coming in 2005 while the second came last season after he scored 33 goals in 32 games for his club. Many of you will remember Forlan from his days at Manchester United where he was often touted as a flop for his dry spells in front of goals. However, he has been a sensation in Spain and has been just as prolific for his country, scoring 22 goals in 60 caps. He is a proper forward in that he has this selfish manner to him but he backs it up with plenty of goals. He is a typical predator in and around the goal, while he also knows how to finish under pressure. Forlan will be a danger, a nuisance if you like, for any defence in Africa.

Strengths

Their best quality would have to be their attacking play, especially as it’s spearheaded by two of Europe’s best strikers in Diego Forlan & Luis Suarez, the latter one of the upcoming stars and a future hit. When Uruguay do get forward, they cause opposing defences all sort of problems as their deadly striking duet know how to exploit gaps in defence and put themselves into scoring positions. They also have players which can strike a ball from anywhere and this Uruguay side does have goals in them.

Weaknesses

Uruguay are a confidence side and if they don’t make a bright start in South African then doubts will start to creep in. They are also very inconsistent and don’t exactly excel away from home. They were also beaten by both Brazil & Argentina twice during qualifying, meaning their credentials when they do come up against the elite nations aren’t flattering as they have proven to be bottlers in the crunch games. A perfect example of this was in Uruguay’s last qualifier when all they needed was a draw to qualify for the finals. Of course, despite Argentina enduring one of their worst spells in it’s prestigious history, Uruguay lost the encounter 1-0, on home soil, and their performance on the night shown everyone that Uruguay still lack the nerve and steel to come up good in the big games.

Uruguay Qualification for the World Cup

Sector: South America
Position: 5th
Win-Draw-Lose: 6-6-6
Goals Scored: 28
Goals Conceded: 20

Uruguay has a largely inconsistent campaign in which one minute they appeared to have slid claims for qualifying only to then ruin their chances. They did bottle their final qualifier in which they would have qualified via a fourth place finish had they of avoided defeat to Argentina. However, their fate was instead left to a two-legged play-off with Costa Rica from North America. Uruguay did, only just mind, beat Costa Rica over two legs after winning the away leg 1-0 before a nervy encounter in Uruguay, drawing 1-1.

World Cup Potential: 3/5

Uruguay have more than quality in their squad to spring a surprise and we feel their huge price tag makes them a more than worthy outside bet. The likes of Diego Forlan & Luis Suarez will be key in their chances to land a surprise World Cup but they’ve proven only recently that the big games just aren’t for them and we could quite easily see Uruguay make an earlier exit than we want nor expected. Still, the potential is there for a few big displays and they will be a dangerous opponent for everyone.

Uruguay World Cup Betting Odds

Uruguay to win the World Cup (Outright): 12/1 Bet365

Before the World Cup the odds on Uruguay were 100/1 

Official Uruguay World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers

Fernando Muslera (Lazio Roma)

Juan-Guillermo Castillo (Deportivo Cali)

Martin Silva (Defensor Sporting)

Defenders

Diego Lugano (Fenerbahce)

Diego Godin (Villarreal)

Andres Scotti (Colo Colo)

Jorge Fucile (Porto)

Martin Caceres (Juventus)

Mauricio Victorino (Universidad de Chile)

Maximiliano Pereira (Benfica)

Midfielders

Walter Gargano (Napoli)

Egidio Arevalo-Rios (Penarol)

Sebastian Eguren (AIK Stockholm)

Diego Perez (Monaco)

Alvaro Pereira (Porto)

Alvaro Fernandez (Universidad de Chile)

Ignacio Gonzalez (Valencia)

Nicolas Lodeiro (Ajax)

Strikers

Sebastian Fernandez (Banfield)

Luis Suarez (Ajax)

Diego Forlan (Atletico Madrid)

Sebastian Abreu (Botafogo)

Edinson Cavani (Palermo)

last update: 18 June 2010

World Cup 2010 Uruguay Fixtures – Group A

26/06 – 15.00 – Round of the last 16: Uruguay – South Korea: 2-1

02/07 – 19.30 – Quarter Finals: Uruguay – Ghana: 4-2 on penalties (1-1)

06/07 – 19.30 – Semi Finals: Urugay – Holland

World Cup Group A - Table

World Cup Fixtures and Results

World Cup Group of Uruguay