Coach
Oscar Washington Tabarez 3-03-47
Coach since 2006
The man called Maestro, not because he is a master at his craft, which he may be, but because he is a former school master, is going to his second World Cup after steering Uruguay to a second round meeting with the host nation at Italia 90. Has also coached big club sides like Boca Juniors and AC Milan.

Goalkeepers
Juan Castillo
17-04-78
Deportivo Cali
11 caps (0 goals)
An unorthodox keeper not scared to take risks coming off his line, “Wall” played in eight of the qualifiers in two different spells. He was preferred to Carini, then not getting first team football with Murcia, but suffered a knee ligament injury after five qualifiers. He came back for three more when Sebastian Viera was dropped.

Fernando Muslera
16-06-86
Lazio (Ita)
5 caps (0 goals)
Won first choice spot in the closing qualifiers, making his debut in the 2-1 away win over Ecuador. The fourth keeper to be picked by Tabarez during the qualifiers, he showed good reflexes close to his line but was not too commanding of his penalty area. Has never been beaten more than once in his five internationals, conceding four goals.

Martin Silva
25-03-83
Defensor Sporting
1 caps (0 goals)
Martín Silva won his first international cap for Uruguay in a friendly match against Algeria on August 12, 2009. Surprise inclusion ahead of Sebastian Viera.

Defenders
Martin Caceres
7-04-87
Juventus
18 caps (0 goals)
The long-haired “Pelado” moved to Europe when he was still in his teens, first to Villarreal, and is on loan to Juve from Barcelona. More of a central defender, he is also comfortable playing for Uruguay on the flank.

Jorge Fucile
19-11-84
Porto
24 caps (0 goals)
Got his chance at Porto when right back Jose Bosingwa, now at Chelsea, was handed a club suspension and never looked back, showing his adaptability by moving to the left flank after the Portugal international returned to the team and securing the a first team place.

Diego Godin
16-02-86
Villarreal
37 caps (3 goals)
A former swimmer who still holds some Uruguayan records. Also a former striker who moved back into central defence where he makes good use of his 1.85-metre height. Replaced Argentine Roberto Ayala at Villarreal.

Diego Lugano
2-11-80
Fenerbahce
41 caps (4 goals)
Strong defender in traditional Uruguayan mould and good captain. First captained Uruguay in a friendly against England in Liverpool four years ago.

Maximiliano Pereira
8-06-84
Benfica
36 caps (0 goals)
Affectionately known as “Mono” (monkey), he was played in most of the qualifiers as a wing back in a line-up with a back three and five across the middle, but, lacking pace, he is more comfortable as a defender than wide midfielder.

Andres Scotti
14-12-75
Colo Colo
25 caps (1 goal)
Much-travelled defender who is a Tabarez favourite, calm under pressure and whose strengths are in the air at the back and in attack, accurate long passes and a long throw-in. Laid on the goal in the playoff second leg against Costa Rica that secured Uruguay’s place in the finals.

Mauricio Victorino
11-10-82
Universidad de Chile
4 caps (0 goals)
A versatile defender who would make a good stand-by on the bench.

Midfielders
Sebastian Eguren
8-08-81
AIK Stockholm
26 caps (5 goals)
Tested positive for cocaine in 2004 and was suspended for six months, but the ban was reduced after he explained he had drunk coca tea to combat altitude sickness in Quito at 2,800 metres. Has spent the better part of his career since 2005 in Scandinavia interspersed with spells for Villarreal. Played in qualifiers for the 2002 World Cup but did not go to the finals and was overlooked for five years between 2003 and 2008.

Alvaro Fernandez
11-10-85
Universidad de Chile
7 caps (0 goals)
“Pajaro” (bird) could be vying with Alvaro Gonzalez for a midfield berth. Fernández made his first international appearance for Uruguay on 1 April 2008. He came on as a substitute in the 40th minute during a World Cup qualifying match against Chile.

Walter Gargano
23-07-84
Napoli
27 caps (0 goals)
“Mota” is a stocky ball-winner who has either paired up with or played instead of fellow defensive midfielder Diego Perez for Uruguay. He suffered a foot injury a year ago that kept him out of four qualifiers, returning against Peru in September.

Alvaro Gonzalez
29-10-84
Nacional
11 caps (0 goals)
Right winger who can fill in as a fullback. Small and nippy, he has surprisingly not made a move to Europe, playing instead for Boca Juniors with whom he reached the 2007 Club World Cup final against AC Milan. Helped Nacional win the Uruguayan title last season.

Maria Gonzalez
14-05-82
Levadiakos
17 caps (1 goals)
on loan from Valencia. Joined Newcastle United in 2008. This move was allegedly the final straw for then manager Kevin Keegan, who claimed he was forced to sign the player by the club’s executive director, Dennis Wise, after only seeing him play on YouTube.

Nicolas Lodeiro
21-03-89
Ajax
3 caps (0 goals)
Made his debut in first leg of playoff against Costa Rica as a more creative presence in a midfield more noted for graft. Captained Uruguay at the 2009 World Youth Cup in Egypt and was a key figure in Nacional’s Uruguayan championship-winning side last season.

Alvaro Pereira
28-11-85
Porto
14 caps (1 goals)
Wing back “Palito” cemented his place on the left side of Uruguay’s midfield in the second half of the qualifying campaign, becoming one of Tabarez’s most regular performers.

Diego Perez
18-05-80
Monaco
49 caps (0 goals)
One of the more experienced players in the Uruguay squad, “El Ruso” is usually Tabarez’s first choice holding midfielder and often part of a double act with Walter Gargano or Sebastian Eguren behind an attacking midfielder with twin strikers.

Forwards
Sebastian Abreu
17-10-76
Botafogo
55 caps (24 goals)
Oldest and one of tallest members of squad, “El Loco” has cemented a place as a super-sub, heading the all important goal at home to Costa Rica that secured
Uruguay’s place at the finals. Widely travelled, having played for 17 clubs in seven countries.

Edinson Cavani
14-02-87
Palermo
13 caps (2 goals)
The tall “El Matador” is a quick striker who scored on his debut for Palermo and also when he won his first senior Uruguay cap. Confident and committed, he cites parental guidance as the key in his success when he left home in Salto in his early teens to go to Montevideo to play for Danubio.

Sebastian Fernandez
23-05-85
Banfield
6 caps (0 goals)
A small, nippy forward who likes to attack from deep positions, he helped his club win their first Argentine league title in December, and does not appear to have lost any of his edge with the return to Velez Sarsfield of Santiago Silva as strike partner.

Diego Forlan
19-05-79
Atletico Madrid
61 caps (23 goals)
Most experienced player in squad having made his World Cup debut, and scored his first goal, in Uruguay’s last group match at 2002 finals in Asia. Set to marry Argentine beauty Zaira Nara, a professional model. Also made impact as a tennis player when he was a teenager.

Luis Suarez
24-01-87
Ajax
29 caps (10 goals)
A product of Nacional, he is a very fast striker comfortable attacking from deep positions on the wing or in the middle, he has been prolific for Ajax scoring close to 70 goals in around 100 matches and more than 30 this season for the Amsterdam side, and was made club captain.

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