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Uruguay is a tiny nation with a population of roughly 3.5 million. However, they are known for producing quality footballers generation after generation. Juan Alberto Schiaffino, Obdulio Varela, Héctor Scarone and Luis Suarez are some of the all-time greats from the country.
Several of the South American nation's top talents have come to the European Leagues to ply their trade. According to TransferMarkt, there are currently 26 players from Uruguay playing in the 'top five' European Leagues.
On that note, let's look at the three greatest Uruguayan goalscorers in Europe's top five leagues in the 21st century.
#3 Diego Forlán (140 goals)
Diego Forlan is regarded as one of the greatest strikers of his generation. He first arrived in European football with Manchester United in 2002.
Forlan played 63 Premier League games for the Red Devils, scoring 10 goals. The Uruguayan helped the English giants win one Premier League title, one FA Cup and one FA community shield.
The Montevideo-born attacker left the Red Devils to join Villareal in 2004. He scored 54 goals in 106 La Liga games during his time at the Estadio de la Cerámica before joining Atletico Madrid in 2007.
Forlan continued his fine goalscoring form at the Metropolitano Stadium, finding the back of the net 74 times in 134 league games for the Madrid outfit.
The former Uruguay international boasts two European 'Golden Shoes' and two Pichichi Trophies (La Liga top scorer) in his trophy cabinet. He also won the 'Golden Shoe' at the FIFA World Cup 2010 after scoring five goals in seven appearances.
His long-range strike against South Africa will always be remembered as one of the best goals in the history of the World Cup.
Forlan moved to Inter Milan in 2011 and also had brief spells with Internacional, Cerezo Osaka, Penarol, Mumbai City and Kitchee before announcing his retirement as a professional footballer in 2018.
#2 Luis Suarez (248 goals)
After impressing with his performances in his home country, Luis Suarez joined Ajax in 2007. He established himself as among the most lethal strikers in Europe with the Dutch club and joined Liverpool in 2011.
Suarez played 110 Premier League games with the Reds, scoring 69 goals. He won the 2013-14 'Golden Shoe' after scoring 31 goals in as many appearances.
Till date, fans remember his unbelievable strike from the halfway line against Norwich in April of 2012.
The Uruguay international left the English giants to join Barcelona in the summer window of 2014. He continued his fine goalscoring form at Camp Nou, forming an incredible partnership with Lionel Messi and Neymar, scoring 195 goals in 283 appearances across all competitions.
Suarez won the 2015-16's La Liga 'Pichichi Trophy' and was included in the FIFA FIFPro World XI in 2016.
The Uruguayan legend left the Blaugrana to join Atletico Madrid in 2020, where he spent two seasons before returning to South America this summer.
#1 Edinson Cavani - 262 goals
Edinson Cavani joined Serie A club Palermo from Danubio F.C. in January after impressive performances at the 2007 South American Youth Championship. He finished as the tournament's top goalscorer with seven goals in nine appearances.
The Uruguayan made a slow start to life in Europe, scoring just seven goals in his first one-and-a-half seasons with the Sicilian club. However, he found his goalscoring form during the 2008-09 season and finished as Palermo's top goalscorer in all competitions with 15 goals in 36 appearances.
Cavani played 109 league games during his time at Stadio Renzo Barbera, scoring 34 goals.
The Salto-born attacker moved to Napoli on loan in 2010 before making a permanent move in 2011. Cavani established himself as among the best strikers in Serie A with the Naples club, scoring 52 goals in 69 appearances.
The forward then left Napoli to join Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain in the summer window of 2013.
Cavani's most successful spell in Europe came with the Parisian club, where he scored 138 league goals in 200 appearances. He helped them win more than 20 major trophies, including six Ligue 1 titles. Cavani is the Parisians' all-time top goalscorer.
The Uruguay international won the 2016-17's UNFP Ligue 1 'Player of the Season' and clinched the Ligue 1 'Golden Shoe' twice.
Cavani spent two seasons with Premier League club Manchester United before moving to Valencia in the summer transfer window of 2022.
