TheUruguay national football team (Spanish:Selección de fútbol de Uruguay), nicknamedLa Celeste ("The Sky Blue") andLos Charrúas ("TheCharrúas"), have representedUruguay in international men'sfootball since their first international match in 1902 and is administered by theAsociación Uruguaya de Fútbol (English:Uruguayan Football Association), the governing body offootball in Uruguay, which is a founding member ofCONMEBOL since 1916 and a member ofFIFA since 1923. It was also a member ofPFC, which was the attempt at a unified confederation of the Americas from 1946 to 1961.Uruguay's home stadium is theEstadio Centenario, and they have been coached byMarcelo Bielsa since 2023.
Considered one of the most successful national teams in international competitions and by FIFA as "football's first global powerhouse,"[8] Uruguay has won four world FIFA–organized championships, twoOlympic titles and twoFIFA World Cups.[9][10] Their first two senior world titles came at the Olympic tournaments ofParis 1924 andAmsterdam 1928,[11] two events that were directly organized by FIFA as open tournaments that included professionals.[12] In the former, Uruguay beatSwitzerland 3–0 in the final, whereas in the latter, Uruguay defeated Argentina 2–1.[13] They then secured a third consecutive title at the inauguralFIFA World Cup inMontevideo, where they beat Argentina 4–2 in the decisive match.[14] Uruguay's fourth title came in1950 after beating hostsBrazil in thefinal match 2–1, a match that still holds the record for the highest official attendance for a football match ever (173,850 people at the gate). On account of these achievements, the Uruguayan national team displaysfour five-pointed stars approved by FIFA on its football crest. Uruguay were unbeaten in world championship matches from the 1924 Olympics until their semi-final loss in the1954 World Cup marking a 30-year win streak and winning four consecutive world titles in tournaments they participated in, having chosen to opt out of the1934 and1938 World Cups. In regional competitions, Uruguay has won theCopa América 15 times, having also won the inaugural edition in1916, second only toArgentina for the most titles in the tournament's history, with their most recent title in2011. As of 2025, based on international senior official titles, Uruguay have won the second most major trophies, behind Argentina.[15]
Uruguay has consistently performed well in global football rankings throughout their history, achieving their highestFIFA World Ranking of 2nd place in June 2012.[16] In theWorld Football Elo Ratings, they have also reached the top spot on multiple occasions.[17] Uruguay has also developed many rivalries through the years, with the most notable ones being with neighboring countriesArgentina, known as theClásico del Río de la Plata based on theirgeographical location andcultural similarities, andBrazil, known as theClásico del Río Negro in reference to the 1950 FIFA World Cup final known to football fans as theMaracanazo.[18] Additionally, FIFA officially recognizes Uruguay asChampions of World Champions, following their victory in the1980 World Champions' Gold Cup (also known as the 1980 Mundialito). This unique designation makes Uruguay the only national team in football history to be formally acknowledged by FIFA with that title.[19]
Historically, football has been a fundamental element in the consolidation of Uruguayan nationality and in projecting Uruguay’s image internationally at the beginning of the 20th century.
Uruguay is one of the most successful teams in the world, having won nineteen official competitions recognized byFIFA, a world record at senior national team level. These include two editions of theFIFA World Cup, two editions of theOlympic Games when they were contested by senior national teams and organized by FIFA (at that time, the only global-level football competition), and fifteen editions of theCopa América.
Uruguay was the first national team, along withArgentina, to play an international match outside the British Isles, on 16 May 1901 in Montevideo, with Argentina winning 3–2. However, because the sides were combined teams rather than national selections, the match is considered unofficial. In that game, Frank Chevallier Boutell, president of the Argentine Association Football League, served as a linesman.
A precedent suggests there was an even earlier match, though not between the two countries’ national teams, but between representative teams of their capitals,Buenos Aires andMontevideo, on 15 August 1889. Two representative sides from the two capitals faced each other in commemoration of the seventieth anniversary ofQueen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Supposedly, the match took place at the so-calledNew Ground inLa Blanqueada and ended with a 3-0 victory for the Buenos Aires team over the Montevideo team.
The first official match between the national teams of Uruguay and Argentina was played on 20 July 1902 at the Albion ground, with Argentina winning 6–0 (to this day the heaviest away win in the derby) . Of Uruguay’s starting eleven, 8 were fromClub Nacional de Football . Uruguay’s lineup was: Enrique Sardeson (Albion), Carlos Carve Urioste (Nacional), Germán Arímalo (Nacional), Miguel Nebel (capt.) (Nacional), Alberto Peixoto (Albion), Luis Carbone (Nacional), Bolívar Céspedes (Nacional), Gonzalo Rincón (Nacional), Juan Sardeson (Albion), Ernesto Boutón Reyes (Nacional), and Carlos Céspedes (Nacional). Goalscorers wereBolívar Céspedes and William Poole.
On 13 September 1903, Uruguay won its first match, defeating Argentina in Buenos Aires 3-2 with a team made up entirely of Nacional players.
Their nickname, La Celeste (“the Sky Blue”), dates back to its first international victory in Montevideo on 15 August 1910, when it beat Argentina 3-1 in the first match in which it wore its sky-blue jersey. This kit was adopted as a national emblem in recognition of the triumph shortly before byRiver Plate Football Club over the powerfulAlumni Athletic Club of Buenos Aires, 2-1, using those same colors.
The Uruguayan national team became the first continental champion, finishing ahead ofArgentina in the1916 Copa América, played in Buenos Aires. The tournament had a round-robin format: a 0–0 draw against Argentina on the final match-day gave the title toLa Celeste.
Uruguay also won the following1917 Copa América, this time as hosts. Once again, the title was decided in the last round against Argentina, and Uruguay prevailed 1-0 to become champions of South America for the second consecutive time.
In the1919 Copa América held in Brazil, Uruguay again reached the decisive match. After drawing 2-2 against the hosts, both teams finished level on points, forcing a playoff. The playoff was won 1-0 byBrazil, who claimed their first continental title, with Uruguay finishing as runner-up.
In the1920 Copa América held in Chile, Uruguay once again arrived at the final match on top of the standings, and defeatedthe hosts 2-1 to claim their third championship. Argentina’s win over Brazil on the same day proved insufficient, leaving the Argentines in second place.
In the tournaments of1921 (Argentina) and1922 (Brazil), Uruguay could not secure the title, finishing third in both editions: first behind champions Argentina and then behind hosts Brazil.
The Copa América returned to Uruguay in1923 and1924. In the 1923 edition, Uruguay and Argentina were level at the top entering the final round. Uruguay defeated their rivals 2–0 at theGran Parque Central to take the title. In 1924, a 0-0 draw with Argentina on the last match-day was enough for Uruguay to be crowned champions once again, thanks to having more wins in the tournament.
Golden Era: Olympic Games and the First World Cup (1924–1930)
Uruguay was the first South American country to participate in theOlympic football tournaments. Their debut was at the1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, where they defeated Switzerland 3-0 in the final to claimFIFA's first recognized non-amateur world championship. Uruguay returned in 1928, this time alongside Argentina (winners of the1927 Copa América). Both reached the final, with Uruguay prevailing 2-1 in a replay after drawing the initial match 1-1. The expectation for this final was so high that reportedly over 500,000 tickets were demanded across Europe.
The Uruguayan national team dazzled Europe with its Olympic performances, earning admiration and respect worldwide. These triumphs elevated South American football to global prominence at a time when the continent was still largely ignored in international sport. The Olympic tournaments of 1924 and 1928 were the only editions officially recognized by FIFA as world championships. This is why Uruguay is allowed to display four stars on its football crest, despite having won theFIFA World Cup twice (in 1930 and 1950).
In terms of continental success during this period, Uruguay won the1926 Copa América in Chile. They did not participate in the1925 Copa América in Argentina (won by the hosts), finished as runners-up behind Argentina in 1927, and placed third in 1929.
Uruguay proposed hosting the firstFIFA World Cup in 1930, and FIFA granted the country the right to organize it in commemoration of the centenary of theJura de la Constitución (Uruguayan Constitution), in addition to its world titles at the Olympics. In Europe, this decision was met with disapproval, with arguments that the tournament should be held there, particularly inEngland, the birthplace of football and its subsequent development. There were also complaints about the long journey and high costs involved in traveling to South America.
However, despite the Uruguayan government offering to cover all expenses, many European nations still declined to participate. FIFA ignored these complaints, reasoning that the continent was still reeling fromWorld War I, while Uruguay enjoyed peace and economic stability. Thus, the first World Cup was held in Uruguay.
The opening matches of the tournament wereFrance vs.Mexico andUnited States vs.Belgium, both played on July 13 at 15:00. In the France–Mexico game,Lucien Laurent scored after 19 minutes, recording the first goal in World Cup history.
Uruguay, considered the strongest team due to its Olympic titles in 1924 and 1928, made its debut on July 18 at the newEstadio Centenario before about 50,000 spectators againstPeru. In a lackluster performance, Uruguay won 1-0 with a goal fromHéctor Castro, drawing some criticism from the press.
There, the Celeste facedYugoslavia (a nation that no longer exists) and won convincingly 6-1, with a hat-trick from Cea, a brace from Santos Anselmo, and one from Iriarte, securing their place in the final.
In the decisive match, played on July 30 before 70,000 spectators, Uruguay once again met their great rivals, Argentina, who were also considered favourites. Leading up to the match, tensions were high, with reports that Uruguayans disrupted Argentina’s training sessions throughout the tournament.
In the final itself, Dorado gave Uruguay the lead after 12 minutes, but Argentina responded with goals fromCarlos Peucelle (20’) andGuillermo Stábile (37’), taking a 2-1 advantage into halftime. In the second half, Uruguay came out determined: Cea equalized at 57’, Iriarte put them ahead at 68’, and Castro sealed the 4-2 victory at 89’.
With that result, Uruguay became the first ever World Cup champion in history, and claimed their third consecutive title.
The team that beat Brazil in the decisive match to win the1950 FIFA World Cup
In the 1940s, Uruguay achieved early success in a decade largely dominated by Argentina by winning their eighth South American championship in 1942. As the World Cup was not being played, this championship became the priority.
In 1950, Uruguay re-entered the World Cup for the first time since 1930. This time, La Celeste would enter a final-group where they would drawSpain 2–2 and beatSweden 3–2 en route to the final match against hostsBrazil. On 16 July 1950, Uruguay claimed their second FIFA World Cup and fourth senior world title when they beat Brazil 2–1 from behind in an iconic match known as theMaracanazo in front of a record crowd of 173,850. Historical estimates indicate that the crowd reached well over 200,000.[20] This feat became an integral part of Uruguay's football identity and a source of inspiration for upcoming footballers with each passing generation.
In the1954 World Cup, Uruguay reached the semi-finals for the fourth time after defeatingCzechoslovakia,Scotland andEngland. The semi-final againstHungary is considered one of the best matches in World Cup history, as La Celeste dramatically equalised 2–2 late after trailing 2–0 at halftime. Uruguay would eventually lose 4–2 in extra-time in what was their first-ever loss at the global stage, a thirty year record that started in January 1925.[citation needed]
Afterwards, Uruguay would fail to qualify to the World Cup for the first time in the1958 CONMEBOL qualifiers after losing 5–0 to Paraguay inAsunción. From there, Uruguay maintained a competitive generation through the 1960s and into the early 1970s with players fromNacional andPeñarol, who had won severalcontinental andclub world titles during that time. In1962, Uruguay had a relatively poor World Cup, being eliminated in the group stage after a dramatic last match against theSoviet Union.Four years later, Uruguay reached the last eight after drawing hostsEngland beatingFrance in the group stage. A controversial quarter-final loss againstWest Germany marred what had been seen as a positive campaign. La Celeste would end the decade winning their11th South American championship in 1967 by beating Argentina 1–0 in Montevideo.
In 1970, Uruguay advanced to their fourth World Cup semi-final inMexico, losing to eventual winners Brazil. They would eventually be eliminated in the group stage at the1974 World Cup, and failed to qualify forArgentina 1978.
Uruguayan football would then see a resurgence as the U-20 team won four consecutive South American titles from 1975 to 1981, as well as reaching the U-20 World Cup semi-final in 1979. The success of this young generation would bear fruit in the 1980s, which began with Uruguay winning the1980 World Champions' Gold Cup, a tournament that pitted past World Cup winners together in celebration of the tournament's 50th anniversary. Afterwards, La Celeste went on to win the1983 and1987 Copas America back-to-back, before losing 1–0 to hosts Brazil in1989's decisive title match. After failing to qualify for the1982 World Cup, in1986, Uruguay were eliminated in the Round of 16 against eventual champions Argentina after a group stage that included West Germany, Denmark and Scotland.
In the1990 World Cup in Italy, Uruguay were eliminated in the round of 16 againstthe hosts 2–0 in Rome. Afterwards, Uruguay would fail to qualify for1994 after losing 2–0 to eventual winners Brazil at theMaracanã Stadium. La Celeste would then defeated the world champions to win the1995 Copa América in Montevideo. Later, Uruguay were eliminated from the1998 World Cup as they finished in seventh place the first time qualifying was a round-robin tournament.
For the2002 World Cup qualifiers, Uruguay managed to advance to a final playoff round againstAustralia to reachthe finals. La Celeste would win thedecisive match 3–0 in Montevideo to qualify to their first World Cup since 1990. The campaign itself proved a frustrating affair, as Uruguay were narrowly eliminated in the last group match againstSenegal after drawing them 3–3, after being down 3–0 at half-time.
The2006 World Cup qualifying campaign saw another international playoff against Australia. This time, La Celeste were eliminated onpenalties inSydney. This loss led to a profound paradigm shift with the hiring ofOscar Tabarez as manager. From there, Uruguay would reach the semi-finals of the2007 Copa América, and successfully qualified for the2010 World Cup in South Africa.
In 2010, a new generation of footballers, led byLuis Suárez,Diego Forlán andEdinson Cavani, formed a team that finished fourth at the World Cup. Uruguay opened the tournament with a goalless draw against France, followed by wins against South Africa (3–0) and Mexico (1–0) respectively, finishing at the top of their group with seven points. In the second round, they playedSouth Korea, defeating them 2–1 with Suárez scoring a brace, as Uruguay sealed a spot in the quarter-finals for the first time since 1970. Against Ghana, the match finished 1–1, forcing the game into extra-time. Both sides had their chances at extra time but Suárez blocked the ball with his hand in the penalty area, earning himself a red card. Ghana strikerAsamoah Gyan missed the subsequent penalty, forcing the game to go into penalties where Uruguay would win 4–2, sending them into the last four. They played the Netherlands in the semi-finals but were beaten 3–2. In the third-place match, they played Germany, again losing 3–2. This placed Uruguay in fourth place for the tournament, their best result in 40 years. Forlán was awarded Player of the Tournament.
A year later, they won theCopa América for the first time in 16 years and broke the record for the most successful team in South America. Luis Suárez ended up as Player of the Tournament.
Uruguay was placed in Group D at the2014 World Cup alongsideCosta Rica,England, andItaly. They were upset by Costa Rica in the opening match, losing 3–1 after taking the lead in the first half. They rebounded with a 2–1 victory over England, in which Suárez scored a brace right after coming back from an injury, and a 1–0 victory over Italy, placing them second in their group and earning a spot in the last 16. During the match against Italy, forward Luis Suárezbit Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini on his left shoulder. Two days after the match, theFIFA Disciplinary Committee banned Suárez for nine international matches, the longest such ban in World Cup history, exceeding the eight-match ban handed to Italy'sMauro Tassotti for breaking the nose of Spain'sLuis Enrique in1994.[21][22][23] Suárez was also banned from taking part in any football-related activity (including entering any stadium) for four months and finedCHF100,000 (approximately £65,700/€82,000/US$119,000).[21][22][24] In the round of 16, Uruguay played Colombia but were beaten 2–0, eliminating them from the tournament.
At the2015 and2016 Copa América, Uruguay, missing banned striker Luis Suárez, were eliminated in the quarter-finals and group stage respectively.
Uruguay then finished second in theirqualifying campaign to qualify for the2018 World Cup in Russia. There, they won their group after three victories, and advanced to the quarter-finals after a 2–1 win overPortugal.[25][26] However, they were eliminated 2–0 in the quarter-finals by the eventual championsFrance.
At the2022 World Cup, Uruguay was drawn intoGroup H with Portugal, Ghana andSouth Korea. They started the tournament with a 0–0 draw against South Korea, before they fell to a 2–0 defeat to Portugal. Despite a 2–0 victory against Ghana in their final group game, Uruguay was knocked out of the tournament in the group stages for the first time since2002, on goals scored following South Korea’s shock 2–1 win against Portugal.[27]
Uruguay at the2014 FIFA World Cup, wearing the light blue shirt they have worn since 1910
Between 1901 and 1910, Uruguay wore a variety of different shirts during its matches. The first shirt worn wasAlbion F.C.'s kit, in the unofficial debut of the national team against Argentina in 1901.[28] It was followed by a variety of shirts, including a solid green one and even a shirt with the colours of theArtigas flag.
On 10 April 1910, now-defunct clubRiver Plate defeated Argentine sideAlumni 2–1. That day River Plate wore its alternate jersey, a light blue one due to the home jersey was similar to Alumni's.[29] Ricardo LeBas proposed Uruguay to wear a light blue jersey as a tribute to the victory of River Plate over Alumni. This was approved by president of the Uruguayan Association, Héctor Gómez.[30] The light blue (Celeste) jersey debuted in aCopa Lipton match againstArgentina on 15 August 1910.[31]
The red shirt that was used in some previous away strips was first used at the 1935 South American championship, held inSanta Beatriz inPeru, which Uruguay won. It was not worn again (except for a1962 FIFA World Cup match, againstColombia[32]) until 1991, when it was officially adopted as the away jersey.[33]
Uruguay displays four stars in its emblem. This is unique in world football as two of thestars represent the gold medals received at the 1924 and 1928 Summer Olympics, which are the only editions recognised by FIFA as senior world championships.[34][35][36] In 2021, after a FIFA employee contacted PUMA about modifying the team's crest, FIFA reconfirmed and approved once again the use of all four stars on the shirt.[37]
Since 1930, Uruguay have played their home games at theEstadio Centenario in the Uruguayan capitalMontevideo. The stadium was built as a celebration of the centenary of Uruguay's first constitution, and had a capacity of 90,000 when first fully opened.[41] The stadium hosted several matches in the1930 World Cup, including the final, which was watched by a crowd of 93,000.[42]
First played in 1902, the "Clasico de Rio de la Plata" withArgentina is the oldest international derby in world football outside of the UK. Both teams have played in historically significant matches, such as the1928 Olympic football final and theinaugural World Cup final in 1930.
The rivalry withBrazil dates back to the 1916 South American Championship. Both teams have since competed in several Copa America finals and the iconic1950 FIFA World Cup final match, where Uruguay lifted their second World Cup in front of a world record crowd at theMaracanã. The only other time they met at the World Cup was the1970 semi-final where Brazil won 3–1 inGuadalajara. Since the 1980s, the two sides met in several title deciders, such as the 1980 World Champions' Gold Cup final (won by Uruguay), and the 1983, 1989, 1995 and 1999 Copa América finals. Uruguay would win the 1983 and 1995 editions, while Brazil won in 1989 and 1999. Brazil eliminated Uruguay at the Maracanã from qualifying for the1994 World Cup. Since the 2000s, they have met mostly in the Copa América, as well as the regularly scheduledWorld Cup qualifiers.
^Although the first match recorded by both Argentina and Uruguay was played on 16 May 1901, this is not considered an official game due to the match not being organized by Uruguay's Football Association but byAlbion FC on its home field inPaso del Molino.[2][3][4][5]
^ Only the 1924 and 1928 editions are senior world titles equivalent to a World Cup.[6] After the World Cup was established, football at the Olympics returned to amateur players only, like it was prior to 1924. After 1988, the tournament has been restricted to squads with no more than 3 players over the age of 23, and these matches are not regarded as part of the national team's record, nor are caps awarded.
^Albion F.C. shirt worn in the first match (unofficial) vs. Argentina due to the most part of the players were from that club.[2]
^Shirt worn in the first official match ever,[38] vs. Argentina in Montevideo in 1902,[28] also worn in a second game in Buenos Aires, 1903.[39]
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