<\/p>\n
Uruguay players walk from the sphere following the World Cup Group H soccer match between Uruguay and Cape Verde in Miami Gardens, Fla., Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP Photo\/Rebecca Blackwell)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
MIAMI GARDENS, Florida \u2014 Uruguay is off to a start many didn’t expect. After draws against Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde, and with a match against Spain still to come back, the two-time World Cup winner is prone to missing the knockout stage.<\/p>\n
Amongst the numerous fans watching was someone the team looked to for goals for greater than 15 years: Luis Su\u00e1rez.<\/p>\n
The matches were played in Miami Stadium, near where Su\u00e1rez serves as striker for Inter Miami. The 39-year-old watched from above as Uruguay struggled despite being heavily favored.<\/p>\n
Su\u00e1rez ended his international profession in 2024 because the all-time leading scorer for the national team with 69 goals in 143 appearances. He was ultimately left off coach Marcelo Bielsa\u2019s squad after months of speculation.<\/p>\n
After the match, Bielsa spoke in regards to the team\u2019s inability to capitalize on a few of its benefits.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe that the issue or biggest issue is that we began the second half with the ball and with the victory,\u201d Bielsa said through a translator after Sunday\u2019s game. \u201cAnd it was at that moment that we didn\u2019t close it. We didn\u2019t make any danger.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bielsa claimed his team \u201clacked a of completion\u201d in Sunday night\u2019s draw. Something that Su\u00e1rez once delivered in his time with Uruguay.<\/p>\n
Fans of Uruguay recognized how difficult it could be to exchange a player of Su\u00e1rez\u2019s caliber.<\/p>\n
\u201c(I actually have) mixed feelings to be honest,\u201d Uruguay supporter Frederico Su\u00e1rez said. \u201cHe\u2019s old and now it\u2019s time for the younger players. But he\u2019s player, perhaps one of the best player I\u2019ve ever watched with Uruguay.\u201d<\/p>\n
In April, Luis Su\u00e1rez announced he was willing to come back out of retirement to play for Uruguay within the World Cup. The announcement fueled speculation that Uruguay\u2019s star could make one final appearance on soccer\u2019s biggest stage. Bielsa as an alternative placed his faith in Uruguay\u2019s next attacking generation, also excluding veteran striker Edinson Cavani from his roster.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like he\u2019s a bit of older, so for players like Darwin (N\u00fa\u00f1ez), I believe it just gives him a bit of bit more of a probability to shine,\u201d Uruguay fan Ian Lancaster said.<\/p>\n
In its first World Cup match without Su\u00e1rez since 2010, Uruguay narrowly avoided an upset against Saudi Arabia with the team\u2019s only goal coming late from midfielder Maxi Ara\u00fajo. Nu\u00f1ez and Federico Vi\u00f1as led the front line but were largely ineffective.<\/p>\n
Bielsa selected a unique lineup Sunday night, starting only Vi\u00f1as to guide the attack. Midfielder Agust\u00edn Canobbio was added to the starting lineup against Cape Verde and made a difference, scoring Uruguay\u2019s second goal.<\/p>\n
It was Canobbio\u2019s narrow miss within the second half, nevertheless, that would have given Uruguay a much-needed victory.<\/p>\n
Su\u00e1rez and Bielsa clashed after the 2024 Copa Am\u00e9rica when Su\u00e1rez criticized Bielsa for the negative environment he had created under his leadership. Now, Bielsa and the Uruguay team will face further pressure to secure a win with an attack that has yet to dispel concerns.<\/p>\n
All eyes might be on Uruguay on Friday as they travel to Guadalajara Stadium for a match against Spain.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur expectations with Uruguay now could be that we never know,\u201d Uruguay fan Alfonso Aguel said. \u201cWe’d like to play every match, go match by match, and see what actually happens.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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Uruguay players walk from the sphere following the World Cup Group H soccer match between Uruguay and Cape Verde in Miami Gardens, Fla., Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP Photo\/Rebecca Blackwell) MIAMI GARDENS, Florida \u2014 Uruguay is off to a start many didn’t expect. After draws against Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde, and with a match […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":354612,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[338],"tags":[8086,608,1709,24125,26817,14990],"class_list":["post-354611","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-luis","tag-stands","tag-struggles","tag-suarez","tag-uruguay","tag-watches"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t