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Marcelo Bielsa
14
Winners (1930, 1950)
Uruguay remain one of the tournament's hardest teams to read cleanly, but Valverde, Araújo and Bielsa's edge make them a dangerous draw for any heavyweight.
Read full team guide →Pick every match, earn points, and challenge your friends. Predictions lock June 11.
Uruguay qualified from CONMEBOL again, which is never a small thing. FIFA's World Cup 2026 qualified-teams tracker lists La Celeste among the six South American automatic qualifiers, and Marcelo Bielsa's side still carry a profile that makes them awkward for almost anyone: physical edge, midfield power and enough elite defenders to survive ugly matches.
Midfielder
Real Madrid
Valverde is the clearest expression of Uruguay's identity: intensity, range and the ability to influence every zone of the match.
Forward
Liverpool
Darwin gives Uruguay vertical threat and chaos, which can be invaluable in knockout football even when the finishing runs hot and cold.
Defender
Barcelona
Araujo's athletic defending is one of the biggest reasons Uruguay can survive against fast, transition-heavy opponents.
Defender
Atlético Madrid
Gimenez remains one of the emotional leaders of the side and central to how Uruguay handle defensive duels and set pieces.
Midfielder
Manchester United
Ugarte's ball-winning lets Uruguay keep matches on the terms they prefer: confrontational, intense and difficult to settle.
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