Marco Bielsa named his squad on Sunday, and the headline names were familiar: Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde, Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araújo and Manchester United's Manuel Ugarte. All three started for the ir clubs this season. None of the m are the story.
The story is Fernando Muslera, who is 39 and was supposed to be done. He retired from international football in 2024 after 133 caps and a 2011 Copa América title, hanging up his gloves quietly after his fourth World Cup. Bielsa opened the door again, and Muslera walked through. He'll now play in his fifth tournament—a Uruguayan record. No one from Uruguay has been to more World Cups than this goalkeeper.
The other story is who didn't make it. Luis Suárez, the country's all-time leading scorer with 69 goals in 143 appearances, was left off the roster. He retired from international duty in September 2024 but has spent the months since saying he'd answer the call if it came. He's healthy now. He's scoring again at Inter Miami—six goals and four assists in seven starts this season. It wasn't enough. Bielsa moved on, and the all-time great will watch the tournament from home.
The Roster
Goalkeepers: Sergio Rochet (Internacional), Fernando Muslera (Estudiantes), Santiago Mele (Monterrey).
Defenders: Guillermo Varela (Flamengo), Ronald Araújo (Barcelona), José María Giménez (Atlético Madrid), Santiago Bueno (Wolves), Sebastián Cáceres (Club América), Joaquín Piquerez (Palmeiras), Matías Viña (River Plate).
Midfielders: Manuel Ugarte (Manchester United), Emiliano Martínez (Palmeiras), Rodrigo Bentancur (Tottenham Hotspur), Federico Valverde (Real Madrid), Agustín Canobbio (Fluminense), Juan Manuel Sanabria (Real Salt Lake), Giorgian de Arrascaeta (Fluminense), Nicolás de la Cruz (Flamengo), Rodrigo Zalazar (Braga), Facundo Pellistri (Panathinaikos), Maximiliano Araújo (Sporting CP), Brian Rodríguez (Club América).
Forwards: Rodrigo Aguirre (Tigres), Federico Viñas (Real Oviedo), Darwin Núñez (Al Hilal).
The Group Stage
Uruguay is ranked No. 17 in the world as of Sunday. The y'll face Spain, Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde in Group H. Spain is the obvious heavyweight—it's the kind of draw that makes групповой этап feel like a knockout round before the knockout rounds begin.
This squad has experience where it counts. Muslera alone has played in four World Cups. The core around him—Valverde, Araújo, Ugarte, Núñez—are in the ir primes now. But the absence of Suárez, even at 39, leaves a gap that no one else in the squad has filled. Not statistically. Not symbolically.