South Africa Car Hire Option 1: Book your 2010 / 2011 South Africa Car Hire with First Car Rental here.

South Africa Car Hire Option 2: Book your 2010 / 2011 South Africa Car Rental with Europcar South Africa here.

World Cup 2010 Teams – Uruguay

Uruguay had to make its way through a total of 20 qualifying matches in order to get to South Africa 2010. The team has certainly shown a fair degree of stamina, but whether they have enough all-round strength to succeed in South Africa remains to be seen.

The Uruguayans won the first ever World Cup back in 1930 and will be looking to progress at least to the knockout stages in the latest instalment. First they will have to get through a group which includes their South African hosts, an erratic French side and a capable bunch of Mexicans.

Qualification

Uruguay’s qualifying campaign was full of ups and downs. The Uruguayans thrashed Bolivia 5-0 in their opening group game before later drawing 2-2 in Bolivia. A 6-0 home win against Peru was followed by a 1-0 loss in the return fixture. Consistency was not their strongest attribute and nearly cost them a place in South Africa.

However, Uruguay managed to finish fifth in the group (four points behind Argentina), earning a last chance play-off match against Costa Rica. The Uruguayans held their nerve in a dramatic contest, clinching a 2-1 aggregate win to book a spot in the World Cup.

World Cup History

Back in the 1920s, Uruguay was one of the world’s true footballing superpowers. As reigning Olympic champions, Uruguay was given the honour of hosting the first ever World Cup in 1930. The Uruguayans soon set about demolishing their rivals before beating Argentina 4-2 in the final. Due to political reasons, Uruguay didn’t enter another World Cup until 1950. The break from World Cup football didn’t seem to do any harm, however, as the Uruguayans reached the final where they beat the hosts Brazil.

Apart from two semi-final finishes in 1954 and 1970, the Uruguayans have not been able to match their earlier achievements. Since 1970, they have failed to progress beyond the first knockout round, while failing to even qualify on five occasions (including Germany 2006).

The Coach

Oscar Tabarez has coached a handful of big clubs in both South America and Europe. His first major success was in charge of Uruguayan club Peñarol, with whom he won the Copa Libertadores in 1987. After a stint with Colombian side Deportivo Cali, Tabarez was put in charge of the Uruguayan national team. He took the side as far as the second round in Italia ’90, where they lost to Italy.

Tabarez went back to club football, this time in Argentina with the mighty Boca Juniors. He led Boca to a championship win which brought him to the attention of European clubs. In Europe, Tabarez enjoyed some success with Cagliari and Real Oviedo, but had a fairly disastrous time in charge of AC Milan. He eventually found himself back with Boca before rejoining the Uruguayan camp in 2006.

Tabarez is a hugely experienced manager, but his frequent tactical changes have been blamed for the national team’s inconsistent performances in qualifying. He will need to find a winning strategy, or at least a consistent one, in order to succeed in South Africa.

The Players

Uruguay does not have many big name players to call upon, but there is enough quality in the squad to mount a serious challenge in Group A. Experienced team captain Diego Lugano will be needed to organise the back line. Young Villarreal centre-back Diego Godín will likely play alongside him.

The midfield is decent but lacks any real star quality. The likes of Álvaro Pereira, Diego Pérez and Porto winger Cristian Rodríguez are all capable but unspectacular footballers.

Uruguay’s real forte is in attack. Diego Forlán is absolutely vital to the team’s success, both for his experience and his goals. The Atlético Madrid striker was the top scorer in Spain last season (’08-’09) and scored 7 goals during qualifying. He is likely to be paired alongside young and talented Ajax striker Luis Suárez.

Group A

Uruguay has been drawn in Group A with South Africa, Mexico and France. The host nation will have some phenomenal support behind it, but is not the strongest African nation in the World Cup. Mexico, like Uruguay, has two dangerous strikers in Carlos Vela and Guillermo Franco. The French, meanwhile, are favourites to win Group A, but a torrid qualifying campaign has left them looking vulnerable.

Group Matches and Analysis

Uruguay will fancy its chances in Group A. The opening game against France will be their greatest challenge, but if the Uruguayans can start strongly they could rattle the French and cause an upset. The following match against South Africa will be tricky due to the stadium atmosphere as much as anything else, but if Uruguay can focus on its game then a win is there for the taking. The final game against Mexico will see two evenly matched teams going head-to-head. Depending on previous results, this game could be the clincher.

The Uruguayans have a lot to do in Group A, but they are certainly capable of taking at least second-place. If they do finish as runners-up, they can expect to face Argentina in the next round.

© This special 2010 World Cup Review is brought to you by Cape Spirit - bringing you cheap unlimited mileage South Africa Car Hire over the 2010 South Africa World Cup through First Car Rental / Sixt Car Hire and Europcar South Africa Book your 2010 World Cup car right now, as cars are almost fully booked. Read our satisfied Customer feedback here.

Cape Spirit Home
Cheap South Africa Car Rentals (First Car Rental)
Cheap South Africa Car Hire (Europcar)
Cheap South Africa Car Rental (Tempest)
South Africa Accommodation
Download a Free Cape Town travel guide
Cape Town Attractions
Cape Town Wallpapers
Cape Town Pictures
Cape Spirit Sitemap