FIFA Confederations Cup: Uruguay seek break from World Cup woes

Uruguay’s players during a training session

Copa America winners Uruguay are eyeing the upcoming Confederations Cup in Brazil as a breather in their faltering attempts to qualify for the World Cup finals next year.

A return trip to their northern neighbours in 2014 is by no means a certainty for the “Celeste”, though, as they are having to fight hard to make up lost ground in South American qualification.

As it stands, captain Diego Lugano’s team would not even make the play-offs for a place in the finals.

Their position — sixth out of nine — belies the country’s proud history in the World Cup, having won the competition in 1930 and 1950, the latter notably against next year’s hosts.

They were also surprise semifinalists in South Africa in 2010.

For the traditional warm-up to the big event, Uruguay have been drawn against current world champions and double European championship winners Spain, as well as Africa Cup of Nations holders Nigeria and Oceania champions Tahiti.

“Uruguayan football at the moment is at a rather low level and qualification for the World Cup in Brazil is not a given because of the number of points we lost at the start of qualification,” Uruguay legend Alcides Edgardo Ghiggia told AFP.

“The Confederations Cup could be useful for the coach (Oscar Tabarez) to call up new players, try things, because everyone knows how Uruguay play at the moment and it’s got to change,” he added.

Ghiggia, whose goal to secure victory in 1950 stunned the home crowd at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro, believes that Uruguay have a chance in the competition, provided they bring “fresh blood” into the national side.

A look at the group of players retained by Tabarez suggests otherwise, however.

Most of the players are aged over 30, including Lugano, who had a torrid season at French champions Paris Saint-Germain, losing his position in the starting XI and forced to accept a loan spell at Spanish side Malaga to gain vital playing time.

Uruguay are also hoping for the second-coming of Diego Forlan, the former Manchester United forward who won the World Cup 2010 best player award and played a key role in the last Copa America, scoring a brace in the final against Paraguay (3-0).

At the time of the Confederations cup draw, Tabarez refused to divulge any overall plan, instead saying that he wanted his players simply to “savour” the competition.

He did admit, however, that the group would not be easy.

The South American qualifying group for the World Cup has already left its mark on Uruguay, following heavy defeats to Colombia (4-0), Bolivia (4-1) and Argentina (3-0).

Uruguay fans are putting their faith in the men they call “El Pistolero” (the gun-slinger) — controversial Liverpool forward Luis Suarez — and “El Matador” (the matador) Edinson Cavani, of Italian side Napoli, to bring them success.

Suarez has already shown what he can do, scoring a fine goal in Wednesday’s friendly victory against France (1-0) that left the visitors’ goalkeeper Steve Mandanda with no chance.