The best Uruguayan players of all time have won major titles for the Celeste, including the 1950 World Cup and several Copa Americas.
Uruguay may not have enjoyed much success over the past decade, but this small nation has dominated world football in the past, winning a record 15 Copa Americas, as well as two World Cups. The greatest legends of the Uruguayan national team have all put in exceptional performances, both for club and country, earning them a permanent place in Uruguay’s rich history.
Here is a list of the top five players in La Celeste.
5. Enzo Francescoli
Enzo Francescoli is one of the few players to have won three Copa Americas (1983, 1987 and 1995), contributing to Uruguay’s record 15 victories. El Principe won the Copa America’s best player award in the 1983 and 1995 tournaments, cementing his legacy for the Celeste.
Francescoli retired from the national team with 73 caps and 17 goals.
4. Diego Forlan
Diego Forlan produced one of the Celeste’s best performances during the 2010 World Cup. The forward won the tournament’s Ballon d’Or despite Uruguay’s fourth-place finish, and was also joint top scorer with five goals. He then scored twice against Paraguay in the 2011 Copa America final, helping his team win the tournament for the 15th time.
Forlan has also proven himself at club level, winning the Premier League with Manchester United before moving to La Liga. The Uruguayan has won the Pichichi twice and also lifted the Europa League trophy with Atletico Madrid.
3. Juan Alberto Schiaffino
Juan Alberto Schiaffino is perhaps the Celeste’s most talented playmaker. He played a key role in Uruguay’s victorious 1950 World Cup campaign, scoring the equaliser against Brazil in the final before Ghiggia scored the winner. Schiaffino also enjoyed a legendary career at AC Milan, winning three consecutive Italian championships with the Rossoneri.
The only reason he isn’t ranked higher on our list is because the Uruguayan only had 21 caps for the Celeste before he began representing the Italian national team.
2. Luis Suarez
Luis Suarez is Uruguay’s all-time leading scorer. The number 9 is the player who has scored the most goals for La Celeste with 68 goals and helped Uruguay win their only major title this century with his performance at the 2011 Copa America. Suarez scored twice in the semi-final against Peru and then the opening goal in the final against Paraguay.
Suarez’s trophy cabinet also includes trophies from his time at Europe’s biggest clubs, including Liverpool, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, as well as a Pichichi award for his 40-goal 2015/16 La Liga season.
Obdulio Varela was the captain of Uruguay at the 1950 World Cup. Without his leadership, Uruguay probably would never have been able to achieve their surprising victory over Brazil. Varela’s legendary pre-match speech and his presence in midfield calmed his team and filled them with confidence.
Although his club career has not been as impressive as that of other Uruguayan players, the captain deserves credit for leading his country to its second World Cup. In fact, Uruguay has never lost a World Cup match with Varela on the pitch.
