Barcelona center back Ronald Araujo and Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde have been selected to lead Uruguay in their upcoming matches against Colombia and Brazil in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. The Uruguayan Football Association released the list of players chosen by coach Marcelo Bielsa, which unfortunately does not include Luis Suárez and Edinson Cavani. However, three players from Liga MX were called up, including Sebastián Cáceres (America), Brian Rodríguez (America), and Maximiliano Araújo (Toluca).
Araujo’s return to the squad is a significant development as the defender has only played 12 games since his debut in October 2020 and missed out on the last World Cup in Qatar. Another notable comeback is that of Flamengo midfielder Giorgian de Arrascaeta, who was absent from the first two playoff games due to an injury.
The list of called-up players also includes world-renowned names like Sergio Rochet, Mathias Olivera, Mathias Viña, Nahitan Nandez, Agustin Canobbio, Facundo Torres, Facundo Pellistri, and Nicolas de la Cruz.
Nevertheless, coach Bielsa decided to once again leave out Uruguayan legends Luis Suárez and Edinson Cavani, who are the national team’s all-time top scorers. Additionally, Maximiliano Gómez was also not mentioned, leaving Darwin Núñez as the sole center forward in the squad.
The selected players are currently traveling from their respective clubs to Colombia, where they will begin preparations for the upcoming matches. On Thursday, Uruguay will face Colombia at the Roberto Meléndez stadium in Barranquilla, marking the third matchday of the South American qualifiers. Other matches on the same day include Bolivia-Ecuador, Argentina-Paraguay, Chile-Peru, and Brazil-Venezuela.
On the fourth matchday, which will take place on October 17, Uruguay will host Brazil at the historic Centenario stadium in Montevideo.
It remains to be seen how this new lineup will perform in the crucial qualifiers against tough opponents, but the absence of veteran players like Suárez and Cavani will undoubtedly be felt.