Soccer
World Cup stories: A different look for Uruguay as they look to continue World Cup legacy
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English eyes will be on Wembley tonight as Thomas Tuchel casts an eye over his World Cup options this summer, but the Three Lions aren't the only side we'll get a glimpse of in this March friendly.
England's opponents are Uruguay, who themselves will be heading to North America this summer to once again take part in a tournament that's woven into the fabric of the nation.
It was a course in the South American country where the first-ever finals were held, and the Uruguayans are two-time former winners of the football's biggest prize back in its early era.
Since then, although they've not triumphed since 1950, they've been regular qualifiers on the World Cup stage, and 2026 will mark their fifth consecutive finals.
So, as they prepare to test England this evening, what can we expect from the 2026 version of La Celeste at the World Cup in 76 days' time?
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Super strikers
When we think of the more modern Uruguay teams, our minds tend to focus on the focal point of the team's attack.
From tournament to tournament, there was a succession and crossover where the nation could boast some of the world's deadliest frontmen, from Diego Forlan to Edinson Cavani and, of course, Luis Suarez.
Forlan lit up South Africa in 2010, scoring five goals and winning the competition's Golden Ball, while Suarez was his supporting act and pantomime villain after his handball in the quarter-final win over Ghana as the side finished fourth - their best showing since the last win 60 years prior.
Forland and Suarez were still around in 2014 and joined by Cavani, who'd net in Brazil and four years later in Russia too, as Uruguay continued to be led by big-name strikers.
Not that any of their World Cup sides were one-man teams, the South Americans were always a squad with quality throughout, but their difference makers lie in world-class goal getters.
In 2026, that narrative has changed, however.
Middle MenGetty
"This Uruguay is completely different," Former Premier League Uruguayan star Gus Poyet exclusivly tells DAZN News, thanks to World Cup Odds.
"We are not really strong defensively, and we cannot just give the ball to the offensive players."
Instead, the team's biggest asset is now the midfield. Led by Federico Valverde, he'd be joined (if fit) by Rodrigo Bentancur and Manuel Ugarte in Marcelo Bielsa's first-choice XI.
The trio play a key role in the former Leeds manager's famous 'BielsaBall' style, where intense, high-pressure is matched with constant movement and energy.
"The difference between this Uruguay and the previous, I would say, 100 years, is that Uruguay always had outstanding offensive players," Poyet continued.
"You can go back, and you will find these incredible, unique, top, top footballers. And it has always had very hard-working, old-fashioned central midfielders who don't let anyone pass the halfway line.
"Now there is a reverse. Our best or most well-known players are in midfield. We can say Valverde, Bentancur, and Ugarte.
"And Valverde. Valverde is everything.
"For me, he is a complete midfielder. You can play him everywhere. He is outstanding."
There's no doubting Valverde's role and current standing in the national set-up, after all, we all recently saw what he did to Manchester City in the Champions League, but given this new-look to Uruguay, can they make an impact this summer? Ian Maule/Getty Images
Summer in America
Bielsa's side have been drawn in a group with heavily fancied Spain, alongside Saudi Arabia and World Cup debutants Cape Verde.
It's a group, you'd expect Uruguay to progress from, especially as there's a chance of third place making it through to the knockouts, but we'll get an early indication of what their ceiling is when they take on the Spanish.
After that, it's trickier to predict, especially given the nature of this expanded tournament. But for Poyet, it all depends on who they face in those first knockout rounds.
Adding, "I think most of the big nations are going to pass the group. After that, I don't know.
"But if we finish second in our group and Argentina first in his group, we already play against each other.
"Which is not nice for Argentina, I have to say, so early to play us. But I think that's where the World Cup will really start.
"So I'm pretty sure that we're going to pass the group. And after, it depends on how, in which position we finish and how quickly we can adapt our mentality."
Before we can start looking at any possible permutations over the summer, it's England first, where we'll get some idea of what to expect from Uruguay and just how different his version really is.
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