One of only eight teams to have won the FIFA World Cup, Uruguay had a fortunate draw in the 2018 Russia tournament and is a strong contender to lead Group A, likely joined by the host nation, Russia.
Óscar Tabárez's venerable eleven performed well in the qualifying phase, to the extent that this time they were not required to participate in a playoff, which had become a routine for them after competing in it consecutively in 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2014.
Not now. They finished second in the CONMEBOL, only surpassed by Brazil with nine wins, four draws, and five losses in 18 matches. They will compete in their twelfth World Cup, aiming to enrich a trophy case that holds titles from 1930 and 1950, as well as a total of five appearances in the semifinals.
While the defense and attack of the Charrúas feature well-known players like Diego Godín, José María Giménez, Edinson Cavani, and Luis Suárez, a new generation has been emerging in the midfield with offensively-minded players such as Federico Valverde, Mathías Vecino, Nahitan Nández, and Rodrigo Bentancur.
Uruguay is the favorite in this matchup, and it's hard to dispute that. However, recent results in friendly matches have raised questions about the strength of the Celestes, who drew 0-0 against Poland in November and then lost 2-1 to Austria.
Russia, which will host the event, could secure second place. Stanislav Cherchesov has managed to lift the team out of the slump that reduced them to dust in the last UEFA Euro, relying on a formation with three central defenders and a midfield quintet.
There have been several criticisms. For instance, concerning one of the country's most astute defensive midfielders, Igor Denisov, who has been overlooked in the call-ups due to an incident that put him at odds with the current coach. However, in general, the Russians are experiencing a period leaning towards optimism after showcasing good football in the Confederations Cup and scoring three goals against Spain in a match held in November.
The other guests in group A are Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
The Pharaohs will arrive with the reputation of being Catenaccio enthusiasts, wielding a 4-2-3-1 system that conceded only two goals in the Africa Cup.
Héctor Cúper has instilled a philosophy of full-time defensive retreat, and as a result, the team relies heavily on the attacking contributions of Mohamed Salah, the speedy forward from Liverpool, who was involved in seven of the eight goals scored by the group in the World Cup qualifiers.
Finally, the Saudis –who change coaches as frequently as models change outfits– will turn to the skills of Juan Antonio Pizzi, the same man who failed to secure Chile's qualification for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. It is a fact that there is talent among the Green Falcons, but it is also true that competitive inexperience threatens to swallow the hopes of a country that has been unable to progress past the Round of 16 since the 1994 World Cup.
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