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The only time that the World Cup was held in Brazil before, Uruguay were champions. That fateful day at the Maracana Stadium forever changed the course of Brazilian football, but Uruguay have not won a World Cup since. In 2010, Uruguay heavily relied on the brilliance of Diego Forlan to finish in 4th place. This time, in Brazil, Uruguay would be looking to better that showing, and for that they will need their star players and a few other utility players as well to be right on top of their game. Their manager Oscar Tabarez is expected to field a well-drilled unit, one in which each player is aware of his roles and responsibilities, and one which should be challenging for atleast a Quarterfinal berth, if not more. Heres a look at 5 key players that must be on top of their game if Uruguay are to achieve their ambitions. You can take a look at the Top 5 players for other teams here.
#5 Fernando Muslera
In a group consisting of England and Italy – seemingly the Group of Death, Muslera’s role as Goalkeeper is vital. As Robert Green found out for England 4 years ago in South Africa, pressure can do funny things to an individual. And that is exactly what Muslera will have to guard against.
He is usually a strong presence in his box, and commands his area. He is a brilliant shot stopper and as he showed in South Africa and in the Copa America in 2011, he has the shrewd mind to save a ball kicked from 12 yards.
He kept clean sheets in all 3 of Uruguay's group games in South Africa, and played a key role in their progress to the semifinal, saving two penalties in the quarterfinal shootout.
In the Copa America, He was selected Man of the Match in the quarter-final match against Argentina in which Uruguay went through on penalties, where he saved a penalty from Carlos Tevez to win them the match.
#4 Martin Caceres
Capable of playing across the back line, Caceres will have a vital role to play as Uruguay look to achieve a creditable finish at the World Cup. Having played a bigger role for Juventus in the the 2013-14 season than he has in the past, Caceres comes into the World Cup pretty high on confidence - having been part of a Juve side that broke the 100 point barrier.
Caceres has made 55 appearances for the National side, and that is a number which should serve him well for the huge tests that lie ahead.
With Oscar Tabarez always rotating his formation and system to suit opponents and match situations, Caceres’s versatility could prove to be a huge bonus.
#3 Diego Godin
One who has had an absolute dream of a season with the Spanish Champions, Atletico Madrid, Godin will be Uruguay's defensive lynchpin in Brazil.
Uncompromising, Indefatigable, Dominating, Tireless. These are just few of the adjectives to describe Godin's play in the 2013-14 season for Diego Simeone's wondermen.
Unlike Caceres, Godin does not have the ability to play across various positions, but what he does, he does to the absolute fullest of his ability. And boy, he has got wondrous ability.
Godin not only provides defensive solidity, but provides a threat in the opposition box too. Godin is what a perfect Centre Back is – commanding in both penalty areas. He scored the goal that won Atletico the La Liga title against Barcelona, and followed that up a week later with a goal in the Champions League final against Real Madrid.
If Godin plays well, then Uruguay will be a very hard side to beat.
#2 Edinson Cavani
Cavani is coming off one of his leanest domestic seasons in recent memory. At Paris St. Germain, he has been overshadowed by the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Ezequiel Lavezzi. But, the sort of ability that Cavani possesses cannot be doubted.
Cavani has the capability to single-handedly change a game, and inspite of his injury and indifferent form, he was able to score 16 goals in 30 games for PSG.
How Tabarez handles Cavani will also be interesting. For far too long, Cavani was played out wide in positions that did not suit his direct, aggressive brand of football. It is absolutely crucial that Tabarez plays Cavani through the middle and let him terrorize central defenders as he is so use to doing.
In last year's Confederations' Cup in Brazil, Cavani was Uruguay's best player by a country mile, putting in brilliant performances against Brazil in the semifinal and Italy in the 3rd place playoff, albeit both in losing causes.
Those memories should serve Cavani well as he looks to spur Uruguay on, and bring joy to the nation.
#1 Luis Suarez
Through 2013 and 2014, the man who has brought most joy to Uruguayans. He has taken his football to another level altogether, and he comes into the World Cup on the back of a stellar season with Liverpool, having scored 31 goals, and winning the PFA Player of the Year award, amongst numerous other awards.
The brightest World Cup memory that the World has of Suarez is that infamous handball against Ghana. Suarez will look to erase thatmemory once and for all, and give footballing reasons for the world to remember him.
He is already a cult hero in Liverpool and in Uruguay as well, but the world sees him as the ‘Bad Boy’ of football, the epitome of what is wrong about the Beautiful Game.
But that Luis Suarez is long gone. The Luis Suarez we see now is a Luis Suarez who has channelized all his energy into becoming the best footballer he can possibly be, and the results are there for all to see.
At Liverpool, Suarez had Daniel Sturridge for company, and at Uruguay, he will have Cavani. How the two of them combine will be crucial to how Uruguay fare in Brazil.
