When most people think of South American soccer powerhouses, Brazil and Argentina usually come to mind first.
But make no mistake—Uruguay belongs in that same conversation. No nation has lifted the Copa América more than La Celeste, claiming the trophy 15 times, most recently in 2011. Uruguay also won the World Cup twice, in 1930 and 1950.
That level of sustained success doesn’t happen without world-class talent, and Uruguay has produced an impressive conveyor belt of stars over the decades, particularly in the early days of the sport.
Here, Sports Illustrated ranks the 20 greatest Uruguayan soccer players of all time. Vamos!
20. Maxi Pereira
Maxi Pereira may not be the flashiest name on this list, but the rugged defender perfectly embodied the spirit of Uruguayan soccer—fearless, tactically sharp and relentlessly competitive.
Earning 125 caps for his country, Pereira played a key role in Uruguay’s 2011 Copa América triumph, starting every match and providing an important assist in the final against Paraguay.
At club level, success followed him wherever he went. He was a mainstay during a dominant spell with Benfica, winning 11 trophies in eight years, and also collected silverware with Porto and Peñarol in his homeland.
19. Ladislao Mazurkiewicz
Born in Uruguay to a Polish father and Spanish mother, Ladislao Mazurkiewicz is widely regarded as the greatest goalkeeper in the nation’s history.
He was named the top goalkeeper at the 1970 World Cup, where Uruguay reached the semifinals. Although that tournament is often remembered for Pelé’s famous dummy against him in the loss to Brazil, Mazurkiewicz’s overall performances showcased his sharp reflexes, agility and outstanding reading of the game—qualities that more than compensated for his lack of height.
At club level, he enjoyed significant success with Peñarol, winning the Copa Libertadores in 1965 along with multiple domestic titles. He also played abroad in Spain, Chile, Brazil and Colombia, adding further honors in both of the latter.
18. Victor Rodriguez Andrade
The nephew of fellow Uruguayan legend José Leandro Andrade, Víctor Rodríguez Andrade was Uruguay’s starting left halfback during their 1950 World Cup triumph. He was one of the tournament’s standout defensive performers, particularly in the final against Brazil, and earned a place in FIFA’s Dream Team—a distinction he would repeat in 1954.
Renowned for his clean tackling and exceptional marking, Andrade was once praised by Real Madrid legend Ferenc Puskás as the greatest right back of all time.
He also won the 1956 Copa América with Uruguay and claimed two Uruguayan First Division titles at club level with Peñarol.
17. Alvaro Recoba
Álvaro Recoba earned 68 caps for Uruguay, featuring in two Copa América tournaments and the 2002 World Cup. While he never lifted major silverware with his country, he consistently stood out for his flair and technical brilliance in the No. 10 role.
Equally capable of scoring and creating, Recoba combined elite vision with dazzling dribbling ability. He showcased those talents most prominently at Inter Milan, where he spent 11 years—a spell that ended with him helping the club win back-to-back Serie A titles.
16. Pedro Rocha
Once hailed by Pelé as “one of the five best players in the world,” Pedro Rocha was a supremely gifted attacking midfielder-forward who made history as the first Uruguayan to appear in four consecutive World Cups (1962, 1966, 1970, and 1974).
Renowned for his technical ability and eye for goal, Rocha scored 17 times in 52 appearances for Uruguay and racked up nearly 367 goals at club level. His domestic career was filled with success, winning eight league titles and three Copa Libertadores trophies with Peñarol, while also adding silverware during his time in Brazil with São Paulo.
15. Pablo Bengoechea
Known as “El Profesor” (“The Professor”) and “El Diez” (“The Ten”), Pablo Bengoechea was a remarkably gifted playmaker, always seeming a step ahead of everyone around him. Capable of unlocking any defense with a precise pass and finding the net himself, the former Sevilla and Peñarol star was often underrated in his time and remains somewhat underappreciated in retrospect.
Bengoechea’s impact for Uruguay was immense.
In addition to featuring at the 1990 World Cup, he scored the decisive goal in the 1987 Copa América final against Chile. Eight years later, he found the net again in the 1995 final vs. Brazil, which ended 1–1, and also converted during the penalty shootout to help Uruguay lift the trophy.
14. Alcides Ghiggia
Alcides Ghiggia scored just four goals in 12 appearances for Uruguay—but one of them remains among the most iconic in soccer history. His decisive strike against Brazil in the 1950 World Cup secured the title for Uruguay, stunning the hosts in one of the game’s greatest upsets.
That goal proved to be his final contribution for Uruguay before he chose to represent Italy, but in terms of impact, few moments can rival it.
At club level, Ghiggia enjoyed success with Peñarol, winning two Uruguayan league titles, while also becoming a fan favorite at Roma, where he made over 200 appearances. He later added a Serie A title with AC Milan in the 1961–62 season, rounding out a distinguished career.
13. Federico Valverde
A manager’s dream, Federico Valverde has proven capable of playing almost anywhere on the field—and doing so at a world-class level.
Signed by Real Madrid from Peñarol for just $5.75 million in 2016, the Uruguayan has since become a vital and incredibly versatile figure in one of the world’s top teams. He has already won multiple La Liga titles, two Champions Leagues, and a host of other honors, featuring everywhere from fullback and wingback to central midfield and the wings.
Technically gifted and armed with a thunderous shot, Valverde still has plenty of his career ahead of him—and all signs point to him only getting better.
12. Jose Nasazzi
José Nasazzi captained Uruguay to victory at the inaugural World Cup in 1930 and was named as the standout player of the tournament.
A commanding yet intelligent defender, he earned the nickname El Gran Mariscal (“The Great Marshal”) for his outstanding leadership and organizational ability at the back. Whether deployed at right back or center back, Nasazzi was the cornerstone of Uruguay’s defense and one of the game’s early great captains.
11. Pedro Petrone
Pedro Petrone was the first of Uruguay’s superstar strikers.
Nicknamed “Artillero” (“The Gunner”) for his incredible goalscoring ability, he netted 24 times in just 28 appearances for Uruguay, helping the national team win two Olympic gold medals, two Copa América titles and the 1930 World Cup.
Renowned for his blistering speed—he could reportedly run 100 meters in just 11 seconds—Petrone also excelled at club level, scoring prolifically for Nacional and Fiorentina and winning two league titles with the former.
Remarkably, he remains the youngest soccer player ever to win an Olympic gold medal.
10. Diego Forlan
When Diego Forlán left Manchester United for Villarreal in 2004, few would have predicted he’d go on to become one of the world’s top strikers, such was the disappointment of his time at Old Trafford.
But that’s exactly what happened. He rediscovered his scoring touch with Villarreal before reaching new heights at Atlético Madrid between 2007 and 2012. There, he played a starring role in their 2009–10 Europa League triumph, scoring twice in the final to seal a 2–1 win over Fulham.
Forlán was just as crucial for Uruguay. At the 2010 World Cup, he scored five goals to finish as joint top scorer, guiding his country to a fourth-place finish and earning the Golden Ball.
The following year, he then netted twice in the Copa América final as Uruguay lifted the trophy—leaving many at Manchester United wondering how the same player who once struggled so badly at the Theatre of Dreams could reach such extraordinary heights.
9. Obdulio Varela
Captain of Uruguay’s 1950 World Cup–winning side, Obdulio Varela delivered what is widely regarded as one of the greatest individual performances in the tournament’s history. In the decisive match against Brazil, he neutralized stars like Ademir, Zizinho, and Jair with a relentless, all-action display in midfield. His leadership—including a now-famous halftime talk—helped inspire Uruguay to a stunning 2–1 victory, silencing the hosts and securing the title in dramatic fashion.
Varela’s legacy extends far beyond that iconic game, though.
He earned 45 caps for Uruguay, scoring nine goals, and also lifted the 1942 Copa América. At club level, he was a cornerstone of Peñarol during one of the most successful periods in their history, winning six league titles and establishing himself as one of the club’s all-time greats.
8. Hector Scarone
An inside forward of exceptional quality, Héctor Scarone held Uruguay’s all-time scoring record for an incredible 81 years before it was broken by Diego Forlán in 2011 (and later surpassed again by Edinson Cavani and Luis Suárez).
With 31 goals in 52 appearances for Uruguay, he played a key role in one of the most dominant periods in the nation’s history, winning four Copa América titles, Olympic gold medals in 1924 and 1928 and the inaugural 1930 World Cup.
He was just as prolific at club level—primarily for Nacional—where he scored 301 goals in 369 appearances while winning multiple league titles. Scarone also lifted the Copa del Rey with Barcelona, becoming one of Uruguay’s earliest stars to make a mark in European soccer.
7. Diego Godin
Diego Godín was never the quickest or most athletic defender, but he more than made up for it with intelligence, composure and sheer defensive authority—qualities that made him one of the very best in the world at his peak in the 2010s.
A member of Uruguay’s Copa América–winning squad in 2011, it was at club level with Atlético Madrid where he truly built his legacy. As captain and defensive leader, he became the embodiment of Diego Simeone’s disciplined, hard-nosed system—regularly helping Atlético disrupt the dominance of Barcelona and Real Madrid.
During his time in Madrid, Godín won eight major honors, including two Europa League titles and the famous 2013–14 La Liga triumph.
6. Edinson Cavani
At his peak, there was very little defenders could do to stop Edinson Cavani. Big, powerful, dominant in the air and deceptively quick, he combined tireless movement with a thunderous right foot.
Aptly nicknamed “El Matador,” he is regarded as a club legend at both Napoli and Paris Saint-Germain, scoring 104 goals for the former and over 200 for the latter, helping PSG secure six Ligue 1 titles.
Cavani was also a consistent scorer for Palermo, and had spells with Manchester United and Boca Juniors, continuing to find the net wherever he played. With more than 450 goals for club and country, his record places him firmly among the greatest strikers of the modern era.
5. Jose Santamaria
An intelligent and composed center back, José Santamaría was a cornerstone of the all-conquering Real Madrid side of the 1950s and ’60s, winning four European Cups and six La Liga titles during his time at the club.
He also played a key role for Uruguay, helping them finish fourth at the 1954 World Cup before later switching allegiance to represent Spain.
That decision may divide opinion among some Uruguayan fans, but his achievements—particularly at club level—remain truly outstanding.
4. Enzo Francescoli
Slight in stature and unassuming in appearance, Enzo Francescoli could be easy to overlook—but doing so would be a mistake.
A central figure of the 1980s, he helped shape the modern trequartista role, combining elegance, vision and goal-scoring ability. He starred for Uruguay during their Copa América triumphs in 1983 and 1987, and later added a third title in 1995, making him one of the few players to win the tournament three times.
At club level, he is best remembered for his legendary spell with River Plate, though he also impressed in Europe with Racing Club Paris, Marseille, and Cagliari—where his technical quality and eye for goal stood out from midfield.
3. Jose Leandro Andrade
Uruguay’s first true global superstar, José Leandro Andrade was a remarkable defensive midfielder who was well ahead of his time. Despite his relatively slight build, he dominated games not through physicality, but with intelligence and technical ability.
Andrade was central to Uruguay’s early golden era, helping the national team win three Copa América titles, two Olympic gold medals and the inaugural World Cup between 1923 and 1930. At club level, he also enjoyed success with both Nacional and Peñarol.
Although his life ended in tragic circumstances—passing away at just 55 in poverty—his influence on Uruguayan soccer remains profound, and his legacy as a pioneer of the modern midfield role endures.
2. Juan Alberto Schiaffino
Juan Alberto Schiaffino is often regarded as one of the most gifted playmakers Uruguay has ever produced. He played a pivotal role in the country’s iconic 1950 World Cup triumph, scoring the equalizer against Brazil in the final before Alcides Ghiggia struck the famous winner.
At club level, Schiaffino enjoyed a glittering spell with AC Milan, where he helped the Rossoneri secure three consecutive Serie A titles and established himself as one of the finest attacking midfielders of his generation.
1. Luis Suarez
There’s little argument—Luis Suárez stands as Uruguay’s greatest player of all time.
The country’s all-time leading scorer with 69 goals, Suárez was a technical marvel at his peak, consistently making even elite defenders look out of their depth. As part of Barcelona’s legendary front three alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar—often considered the greatest attacking trio ever—he scored 198 goals in six seasons, winning every major honor available, including four league titles and the Champions League.
He was just as prolific earlier in his career with Ajax and Liverpool, while later spells at Atlético Madrid, Grêmio and Inter Miami saw him continue to score at an impressive rate despite ongoing injury issues.
Although controversy has often followed him, Suárez’s quality is unquestionable. He remains a modern icon and one of the greatest strikers the game has ever seen.
READ MORE OF SPORTS ILLUSTRATED’S SOCCER RANKINGS
- The 55 Greatest Soccer Players of All Time
- Best Soccer Goalkeepers of All Time
- The 50 Best Defenders in Soccer History—Ranked
- The 20 Best Left Backs in Soccer History—Ranked
- The 25 Best Midfielders in Soccer History—Ranked
- The 50 Greatest Soccer Forwards of All Time—Ranked
- Ranking The 25 Best American Soccer Players Of All Time
- Ranking the 50 Best Soccer Jerseys Of All Time
- Ranking the 50 Best Soccer Teams Of All Time
- 50 Greatest Football Managers of All Time
This article was originally published on www.si.com as The 20 Best Uruguayan Soccer Players of All Time—Ranked.
