Lugano says Uruguay can surprise at World Cup 2026 under Bielsa

Diego Lugano believes Uruguay arrive at the 2026 World Cup with more than name value and past glory. The former Celeste captain sees a squad with enough depth, leadership and coaching pedigree to trouble anyone, and he thinks Marcelo Bielsa’s team can grow as the tournament unfolds.

Uruguay’s case starts with the record. The team will play a fifth consecutive World Cup and make its 15th appearance overall in 2026, carrying the weight of titles from 1930 and 1950 and the more recent benchmark of a fourth-place finish in South Africa in 2010. The path back was steady rather than dramatic, with Uruguay finishing fourth in CONMEBOL qualifying on 28 points from 18 matches and sealing direct qualification in September 2025 after beating Peru at the Estadio Centenario.

Lugano’s optimism rests on a squad he views as markedly different from the one that defined Uruguay for more than a decade. Luis Suárez and Edinson Cavani no longer anchor the side, a changing of the guard that FIFA has described as part of a broader cycle of renewal under Bielsa. Suárez still stands as Uruguay’s all-time leading scorer with 69 international goals, but the present group is built around a new hierarchy and players who already carry responsibility at major clubs abroad.

That is why Lugano has stressed the importance of the current crop of leaders. He pointed to a significant turnover in personnel and to footballers who are already captains at strong clubs around the world, a profile that gives Uruguay more than just athleticism and pressing power. Bielsa, whom Lugano described as a coach of global prestige, has had nearly three years to shape that identity after taking charge in May 2023.

The group stage will quickly test whether that promise becomes results. Uruguay open against Saudi Arabia on June 15 in Miami, then face Cabo Verde on June 21 and Spain on June 26. Against a European favorite and two opponents that will see an opening, Uruguay cannot rely on reputation alone. Bielsa’s system will need sharper control in midfield, cleaner work in the final third and fewer swings between dominance and disruption if Uruguay are to turn its new cycle into a deep run.

For Lugano, the message is clear: Uruguay no longer enter World Cups as a nostalgic giant. They enter as a live contender, and in a tighter global field, that may matter more than memory.