Uruguay might be a relatively small country, but they’ve won the World Cup twice, triumphing in the very first edition of the tournament back in 1930.
And the nation tucked between Argentina and Brazil has continued to punch above its weight as far as football is concerned, producing a host of top talent down the years.
Join us as we take a look at the best Uruguayan players of all time…
Alvaro Recoba
A mercurial yet undeniably classy playmaker, Alvaro Recoba spent more than a decade at Inter, signing off with back-to-back Serie A titles in 2005/06 and 2006/07.
Capped 69 times by his country, playing and scoring at the 2002 World Cup, Recoba was a set-piece specialist with a particular knack for curling in free-kicks.
Alcides Ghiggia
Winger Alcides Ghiggia only represented Uruguay 12 times, but he just so happened to play an integral role in the nation’s finest hour, notching the winner against hosts Brazil in the decisive match of the 1950 World Cup (aka the Maracanazo).
A two-time Uruguayan Primera Division with the other of Uruguay’s two foremost outfits, Penarol, Ghiggia also earned iconic status at Roma – for whom he made more than 200 appearances.
Ladislao Mazurkiewicz
Born in Uruguay to a Polish father and Spanish mother, Ladislao Mazurkiewicz was among the finest goalkeepers of his generation, notably starring in Uruguay’s run to the semi-finals of the 1970 World Cup.
A 1965 Copa Libertadores winner and multiple domestic champion with Penarol, Mazurkiewicz also played club football in Spain, Chile, Brazil and Colombia – winning titles in the latter two.
Luis Cubilla
A decorated winger who lifted the Copa Libertadores with both Penarol (twice) and Nacional, Luis Cubilla scored 11 goals in 38 Uruguay caps, featuring at the 1962, 1970 and 1974 World Cups.
Included in the IFFHS (International Federation of Football History & Statistics) Men’s All Time Uruguay Dream Team in 2022, Cubilla also tasted success in Europe, winning the 1962/63 Copa del Rey at Barcelona.
Jose Santamaria
Legendary centre-back Jose Santamaria starred in four of Real Madrid’s first six European Cup triumphs, also helping Los Blancos to six LaLiga titles between 1958 and 1965.
Born in the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo, Santamaria represented both his homeland and Spain at international level, reaching the 1954 World Cup semi-finals with the former.
Diego Godin
One of the outstanding central defenders of the 2010s, Diego Godin is also Uruguay’s most-capped player, turning out a whopping 161 times for his country and wearing the captain’s armband at two World Cups.
At club level, Godin notably made the best part of 400 appearances during a highly successful spell with Atletico Madrid, where his honours included a LaLiga title and two Europa League crowns.
Pedro Rocha
An immensely skilful attacking midfielder with a prolific goalscoring record, Pedro Rocha was the first Uruguayan to appear at four consecutive World Cups: 1962, 1966, 1970 and 1974.
Described by none other than Pele as “one of the five best players in the world”, Rocha spent the bulk of his career with Penarol and Brazilian giants Sao Paulo, helping the former to three Copa Libertadores triumphs during the 60s.
Jose Nasazzi
One of the greatest defenders of the pre-war era, Jose Nasazzi captained Uruguay to glory as hosts of the very first World Cup in 1930, earning 41 caps overall.
Known as El Gran Mariscal (The Great Marshal) for his exceptional organisational skills at the back, Nasazzi had previously starred in his nation’s back-to-back Olympic gold medal wins of 1924 and 1928.
Hector Scarone
Scorer of 31 goals in 52 Uruguay caps, inside forward Hector Scarone was considered one of the world’s best players of the 1920s, a decade in which he twice won Olympic gold.
Dubbed El Mago, (The Magician), Scarone – who won numerous trophies with Nacional, plus the 1926 Copa del Rey with Barcelona – ended his international career on the ultimate high: with victory in the 1930 World Cup final.c
Edinson Cavani
Among the world’s most formidable strikers in his prime, Edinson Cavani has scored well over 400 goals for club and country.
A golden boot winner in Serie A and Ligue 1 – where he netted 138 times in helping PSG to six titles – Cavani retired from Uruguay duty in 2022 with 58 goals to his name, including four across three World Cups.
Obdulio Varela
Enormously influential skipper of Uruguay’s 1950 World Cup-winning side, Obdulio Varela excelled in the holding midfield role, showcasing superb leadership and extraordinary tenacity.
Also at home in defence, the Penarol great – who also helped his country win the 1942 Copa America – was named as one of the best South American players of the 20th century by the IFFHS.
Enzo Francescoli
A world-class playmaker capped 73 times between 1982 and 1997, Enzo Francescoli helped Uruguay to Copa America glory in 1983, 1987 and 1995 and captained them at the 1990 World Cup.
Voted South American Footballer of the Year in 1984 and 1995, El Principe (The Prince) won major trophies at River Plate and Marseille, including the 1996 Copa Libertadores with the former and 1989/90 Ligue 1 title with the latter.
Jose Leandro Andrade
A sublime defensive midfielder regarded as one of the world’s best at his peak, Jose Leandro Andrade played an integral role in the Uruguayan national team’s early success, winning three Copa America crowns, two Olympic gold medals and the World Cup between 1923 and 1930.
Ranked among the top players of the 20th century by the IFFHS, Andrade was a domestic champion with both Nacional and Penarol.
Diego Forlan
Capped 112 times, scoring 36 goals, Diego Forlan inspired Uruguay to the 2010 World Cup semi-finals, collecting the Golden Ball as player of the tournament and finishing as joint leading marksman.
A complete forward who tasted league success in Europe, South America and Asia (with Manchester United, Penarol and Hong Kong’s Kitchee respectively) Forlan enjoyed his best years with Atletico Madrid – where he won the 2009/10 Europa League – and Villarreal.
Juan Alberto Schiaffino
Regarded as one of the finest players of all time, Juan Alberto Schiaffino played a starring role in winning major honours with Uruguay, Penarol and Milan.
An incredibly well-rounded playmaker who contributed amply on the defensive side of the game, Schiaffino – who was also capped by Italy – won three Serie A titles at Milan and shone en route to victory at the 1950 World Cup.
Luis Suarez
Another all-time great, Luis Suarez holds Uruguay’s all-time goalscoring record, having been on target 69 times as of the beginning of 2025.
And scoring goals always came naturally to El Pistolero, a league top scorer in England, Spain and the Netherlands and two-time recipient of the European Golden Shoe.
A 2011 Copa America winner and 2010 World Cup semi-finalist, Suarez swept up all sorts of silverware during his 198-goal stint at Barcelona, with whom he did the treble in 2014/15.
