World Cup 2018: Fixtures, kick

Uruguay’s coach Oscar Washington Tabarez watches from the sideline during their China Cup International Football Championship Semi-final match against Czech in Nanning in China’s southern Guangxi region on March 23, 2018. / AFP PHOTO

World Cup 2018: Fixtures, kick off time, group, coach and squad for Uruguay

Suarez and his magic hand.

World Cup 2018: Fixtures, kick

Uruguay’s coach Oscar Washington Tabarez watches from the sideline during their China Cup International Football Championship Semi-final match against Czech in Nanning in China’s southern Guangxi region on March 23, 2018. / AFP PHOTO

Down the years, tiny Uruguay, with its population of 3.5 million, has turned out an impressive list of stars of world soccer, players like Diego Forlan and Enzo Francescoli, and won the game’s biggest prize in 1930 and 1950.

Twelve years ago, a desperate Uruguay tasked Oscar Tabarez to return to coaching the national team and put it back among football’s elite.

After failing to survive the group phase in 2002 once-proud Uruguay hit rock bottom when they failed even to qualify for the 2006 World Cup.

Tabarez, 71, now heads to his third World Cup as coach, boosted by goal-getters Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, but also nurturing a new generation of players.

Since his return to the helm after a previous stint as boss from 1998-90, the man nicknamed “El Maestro” – a reference to his years as a school teacher – has once again made twice-winners Uruguay a name to be feared at the World Cup.

He guided them to a semi-final place in South Africa in 2010, followed by a Copa America triumph – in neighbouring Argentina no less — a year later.

The World Cup draw was relatively kind to Tabarez and his team, who will meet Egypt, Russia and Saudi Arabia in Group A.

He is optimistic about the players that have come through the ranks during qualifying in the CONMEBOL group behind Brazil.

“There are players who have emerged, who weren’t there at the beginning of the qualification campaign, who’ve helped us to strengthen things, that give us hope,” he said as he oversaw training in Montevideo.

He points out young Juventus midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur and Sampdoria’s Lucas Torreira, both assured ball players.

Tabarez will remain faithful to his side’s defensive DNA – the gritty backs-to-the-wall mentality epitomised in the Uruguayan phrase “la Garra Charrua,” named for reputedly ferocious Charrua indigenous people who were wiped out in the 19th century.

They won’t give much away to anyone.

“We have always been a strong team defensively, that helps us not to lose,” said the coach, who will look to his two Atletico Madrid defenders Diego Godin and Jose Maria Gimenez, to shut down the route to goal.

Facts about Uruguay (Group A)

Honours: World Cup winners 1930, 1950; 15 times winners of Copa America; Olympic gold medallists 1924, 1928

Past World Cup performance: 13th participation

Best result: Winners in 1930 and 1950

FIFA ranking: 17th

Main Clubs: Penarol, Nacional

Nickname: La Celeste (The Sky Blues)

How they qualified: Finished second in South American qualifying behind Brazil.

Coach: Óscar Tabárez

After an unassuming career as a player and after working as a primary school teacher, Tabárez embarked on an extensive coaching career which has lasted more than 30 years and included coaching teams in Colombia, Argentina, Italy and Spain.

He managed the Uruguay national football team from 1988 to 1990, returning to the job for a second time in 2006.

He led the team to fourth place in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and to victory in the 2011 Copa América. With Tabárez, Uruguay qualified for three World Cups, reaching the round of 16 two times, and the semi-finals once. In October 2017 Tabárez qualified Uruguay for a fourth time.

Uruguay World Cup squad

Fernando Muslera, Martin Silva, Martin Campana, Diego Godin, Sebastian Coates, Jose Maria Gimenez, Maximiliano Pereira, Gaston Silva, Martin Caceres, Guillermo Varela, Nahitan Nandez, Lucas Torreira, Matias Vecino, Rodrigo Bentancur, Carlos Sanchez, Giorgian De Arrascaeta, Diego Laxalt, Cristian Rodriguez, Jonathan Urretaviscaya, Cristhian Stuani, Maximiliano Gomez, Edinson Cavani, Luis Suarez.

Fixtures and kick-off times

All times SAST.

Friday, 15 June, 14:00: Egypt vs Uruguay
Wednesday, 20 June, 17:00: Uruguay vs Saudi Arabia
Monday, 25 June, 16:00: Uruguay vs Russia

Additional reporting by AFP and wires.