The Road to South Africa

Uruguay were the last team to qualify for the World Cup and it was through a familiar route - a play-off. The side that finished fifth in the South American qualifying group is obliged to play off for a World Cup place and for the third successive campaign that team was Uruguay. This time Costa Rica proved easier to beat than Australia had four years ago, although many wondered how it had come to this. Uruguay had scored 28 times in qualification - more than anyone bar Brazil and Chile. Had they held out against Argentina in Montevideo in the final game they would have gone through automatically. But once more, La Celeste seized up when it mattered.

The Star Players

Luis Suarez (Ajax) His impact in Dutch football, first with Groningen and then with Ajax has been electric. But he has to curtail a habit of collecting an alarming number of yellow cards and start scoring against the big boys.

Diego Lugano (Fenerbahce) Nobody emphasises more the Uruguayan tradition of 'garra' than their captain and centre-half. Four years ago, when he was part of the Sao Paulo side that won the World Club Championship, Lugano was voted South America's best defender.

Fernando Muslera (Lazio) The last of four goalkeepers Uruguay used in qualification, Muslera is now in pole position, ahead of the highly-rated Juan Castillo. He came to Lazio at 21 and despite an uneasy beginning has proved his worth, especially in penalty shoot-outs.

The Coach

Oscar Tabarez He used to be a teacher and he is a student of Che Guevara - Tabarez is no ordinary manager. But he remains an extremely effective one, who managed the rare feat of taking Uruguay into the knockout stages of the 1990 World Cup, where they were destroyed by Italy. Tabarez, a nondescript defender who relishes attacking football, managed first Penarol and then Boca Juniors to the Copa Libertadores before being tempted back for a second stint with Uruguay after the debacle of non-qualification for the 2006 World Cup.

Honours

World Cup: Winners 1930, 1950. Semi-finalists 1970, 1954.
Copa America: Winners 1983, 1987, 1995. Runners-up 1989, 1999.

Analysis

If you are looking for a dark horse to come sprinting out of nowhere, Uruguay look a fair bet. They can score goals, they have a rugged defence and a good manager. However, the weakness lies in uncertain goalkeeping and a midfield that creates very little and which lacks a play-maker. France will not find them the easiest opening opponents in Cape Town, although if any side in the group is likely to crack against South Africa it is Uruguay. It might all come down to the final game with Mexico in Rustenburg to see who will go through. The odds say Mexico but if their potential last-16 opponents are Argentina, Diego Maradona would least like to face Uruguay.

Verdict

Squad (3/5)
Great attack allied to a more than passable defence. It is just a pity that Uruguay don't possess a midfielder of true, creative flair.

Coach: (4/5)
Oscar Tabarez is known as El Maestro in his native Montevideo and he has the ability to conjure something that Uruguayan football has not seen for 40 years – a decent run in a Word Cup.

Attack: (4/5)
On paper few teams possess a partnership as lethal as that between Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez. If they can keep their heads – and that is a big if – they could create something special.

Defence (2.5/5)
Gritty and effective, the way Lugano and Co will defend their 18-yard line will not be a thing of beauty. But no defender enjoys playing in front of a goalkeeper they don't know and don't really trust and that may be the case with Muslera.