Fifa World Cup 2018: Ramirez among three left out of Uruguay squad

Sampdoria midfielder Gaston Ramirez was among the three players cut from Uruguay's final 23-man FIFA World Cup squad.
 
Seattle Sounders playmaker Nicolas Lodeiro and Deportivo La Coruna teenager Federico Valverde were also left out by coach Oscar Tabarez, said the Uruguayan Football Association.

 
Uruguay manager Oscar Washington Tabarez
 
Tabarez is an institution in Uruguayan football, having taken charge of the national team at Italy 1990, South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014. The mastermind of Uruguay’s 2011 Copa America title win, El Maestro is an attack-minded coach fabled for his astute tactics and fatherly approach to his players. The 70-year-old has used a wheelchair since he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome in 2016.

 
Road to FIFA World Cup 2018
 
South American qualifying is one of the harder routes to reach the World Cup but Uruguay didn’t face many problems this time. The defeated Colombia and Chile emphatically and in the final game Bolivia lost to Uruguay by the margin of 4-2 to seal a berth in FIFA World Cup 2018.

 

Luis Suarez of Uruguay celebrates after scoring a goal during the 2014 World Cup Group D game between Uruguay and England at Arena Corinthians. Photo: Shutterstock.com

Players to look forward in Russia 2018
 
As expected, Uruguay will be spearheaded in Russia by Barcelona forward Luis Suarez and Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani. A prolific striker for club and country, Suarez is Uruguay’s all-time leading goalscorer. A European and world champion with Barcelona, the forward has scored five times at the FIFA World Cup, having starred at South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014. While Suarez striking partner Edinson Cavani was top scorer in qualifying.
 

Edinson Cavani. Photo: Shutterstock.com

The squad also includes Atletico Madrid defenders Diego Godin and Jose Maria Gimenez as well as 20-year-old Juventus midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur. Eleven of the players named also featured in Uruguay's 2014 World Cup squad.
 
The two-time world champions will begin their 2018 FIFA World Cup campaign against Egypt on June 15 before facing Saudi Arabia and Russia in Group A. They will fine-tune their preparations for the tournament with a friendly against Uzbekistan on Friday.
 
Uruguay squad:
 
Goalkeepers: Martin Campana (Independiente), Fernando Muslera (Galatasaray), Martin Silva (Vasco da Gama).
 
Defenders: Martin Caceres (Lazio), Sebastian Coates (Sporting), Jose Maria Gimenez (Atletico Madrid), Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid), Maximiliano Pereira (Porto), Gaston Silva (Independiente), Guillermo Varela (Penarol).
 
Midfielders: Giorgian De Arrascaeta (Cruzeiro), Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus), Diego Laxalt (Genoa), Nahitan Nandez (Boca Juniors), Cristian Rodriguez (Penarol), Carlos Sanchez (Monterrey), Lucas Torreira (Sampdoria), Matias Vecino (Inter).
 
Forwards: Edinson Cavani (Paris Saint-Germain), Maximiliano Gomez (Celta Vigo), Luis Suarez (Barcelona), Cristhian Stuani (Girona), Jonathan Urretaviscaya (Monterrey).