Uruguay, with Valverde, Araujo and a historic absence

ByDavid Mitchell

Federico Valverde, midfielder real Madridand the central Ronald Araujoof the Barcelonaand José María Giménezof the Atlético de Madrid, They appear on the list of 26 called up by the coach Marcelo Bielsa to defend Uruguay in the 2026 World Cup, which will begin within Group H along with Spain, Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde.

Federico Viñas, attacker Oviedo, He is also part of the squad, which does not have the forward Luis Suarez for the first since the Celeste returned to the World Cups in South Africa 2010.

Other notable footballers who appear are the full-back Mathias Olivera and the midfielders Rodrigo Bentancur, Giorgian de Arrascaeta and Manuel Ugarteas well as the attacker Darwin Núñez.

Muslera’s fifth

Meanwhile, the goalkeeper Fernando Muslera, who in 2024 had left the national team and in 2026 returned to defend it, will play in his fifth World Cup and in this way will become the Uruguayan with the most appearances in the tournament.

They will be left behind with four Pedro Virgilio Rocha, Luis Suárez, Edinson Cavani, Diego Godín and Martín Cácereswhile Giménez will reach fourth this time.

For his third World Cup as a coach and his first in charge of the Uruguayan team, Argentine Marcelo Bielsa opted for a list with eight defenders, twelve midfielders and wingers and three center forwards.

Your order of matches in the World Cup

Uruguay will debut on June 15 facing Saudi Arabia in a match in Group H that will be played in Miami.

Six days later they will face Cape Verde on the same stage, while they will then travel to Mexico to face Spain on June 26 in Guadalajara.

During its stay at the World Cup, the Celeste will concentrate in the Mexican city of Playa del Carmen, in the state of Quintana Roo.

Marcelo Bielsa’s 26

Goalkeepers: Santiago Mele (Monterrey-MEX), Fernando Muslera ( Estudiantes de La Plata-ARG) and Sergio Rochet (Internacional-BRA).

Defenses: Guillermo Varela (Flamengo-BRA), Sebastián Cáceres (América-MEX), Ronald Araujo (Barcelona-ESP), José María Giménez (Atlético de Madrid-ESP), Santiago Bueno (Wolverhampton Wanderers-ENG), Mathías Olivera (Napoli-ITA), Matías Viña (River Plate-ARG) and Joaquín Piquerez (Palmeiras-BRA).

Midfielders: Juan Manuel Sanabria (San Luis-MEX), Manuel Ugarte (Manchester United-ENG), Emiliano Martínez (Palmeiras-BRA), Giorgian de Arrascaeta (Flamengo-BRA), Facundo Pellistri (Panathinaikos-GRE), Maximiliano Araujo (Sporting Club-POR), Nicolás de la Cruz (Flamengo-BRA), Brian Rodríguez (América-MEX), Agustín Canobbio (Fluminense-BRA), Rodrigo Zalazar (Braga-POR), Rodrigo Bentancur (Tottenham-ENG) and Federico Valverde (Real Madrid-ESP).

Fronts: Rodrigo Aguirre (América-MEX), Darwin Núñez (Al-Hilal-KSA) and Federico Viñas (Real Oviedo-ESP).

David Mitchell
David Mitchell

As a passionate sports journalist with over a decade of experience, I strive to uncover the heart and soul behind every game. Supported by a dedicated team of fellow enthusiasts and storytellers, I am committed to delivering insightful and engaging content that connects fans worldwide. Together, we celebrate the victories, challenges, and unifying spirit of sports through every article we craft.