Fact file on Uruguay who are in World Cup Group H:
Best World Cup performance: Winners in 1930, 1950
Other honours: Copa America winners in 1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1926, 1935, 1942, 1956, 1959, 1967, 1983, 1987, 1995, 2011
Fifa ranking: 14
Main clubs: Penarol, Nacional, Defensor Sporting, Danubio
How they qualified: Uruguay finished third in the single South American qualification group
Coach: Diego Alonso, 47, was appointed in December last year after iconic veteran boss Oscar Tabarez – who guided Uruguay to their last Copa America success – was sacked following a disastrous run of qualifying defeats.
Alonso's impact was immediate, following four straight defeats from Tabarez's last games in charge with four successive victories.
The 'Tornado' had saved Uruguay's qualification campaign. "Everyone says that the most important thing in football is winning," he told La Diaria newspaper in September.
"I go one step further: the most important thing in football is preparing to win."
Key player: With Uruguay's top two goalscorers of all time, Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, both 35 and playing in their last World Cup, Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde is the new talisman for this team.
Now 24, the hard-working six-foot tall central midfielder is crucial for club and country. Already a Champions League winner and two-time Spanish champion, Valverde's increasingly mature performances have made him the key cog in Alonso's team.
Group fixtures:
November 24: Uruguay v South Korea
November 28: Portugal v Uruguay
December 2: Ghana v Uruguay
Probable squad:
Goalkeepers: Sergio Rochet (Nacional), Fernando Muslera (Galatasaray/TUR), Santiago Mele (Union/ARG)
Defenders: Josema Gimenez (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Sebastian Coates (Sporting/POR), Ronald Araujo (Barcelona/ESP), Diego Godin (Velez Sarsfield/ARG), Agustin Rogel (Hertha BerlÃn/GER), Damian Suarez (Getafe/ESP), Guillermo Varela (Flamengo/BRA), Martin Caceres (Los Angeles Galaxy/USA), Matias Vina (Roma/ITA), Mathias Olivera (Napoli/ITA)
Midfielders: Federico Valverde (Real Madrid/ESP), Rodrigo Bentancur (Tottenham/ENG), Matias Vecino (Lazio/ITA), Nicolas de la Cruz (River Plate/ARG), Lucas Torreira (Galatasaray/TUR), Facundo Pellistri (Manchester United/ENG), Giorgian De Arrascaeta (Flamengo/BRA), Manuel Ugarte (Sporting/POR), Agustin Canobbio (Athletico Paranaense/BRA)
Forwards: Luis Suarez (Nacional), Edinson Cavani (Valencia/ESP), Darwin Nunez (Liverpool/ENG), Facundo Torres (Orlando City/USA)