| "> | | | | compete in the Pan American Games in San Juan de |
| Soccer & Human Development | | | | Puerto Rico (where they were the heavy-favorites). |
| Uruguay's performance at the 2010 World Cup | | | | But it was not for lack of talent. Prior to this |
| comes as little surprise to many people who have | | | | multi-sport meet, the Uruguayan players claimed the |
| followed its wins and dreams. The Uruguayan team's, | | | | 1979 South American Under-20 Tournament. By the |
| a fierce competitor, took a quantum leap forward in | | | | early 1980s, it decided not to participate in the |
| 1997 as they came close to winning the FIFA World | | | | Continental Olympic Tournament in Colombia. What's |
| Under-20 Cup in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's capital, | | | | more, despite lifting the Golden Cup in Montevideo, |
| finishing ahead of Ghana and Ireland. Since then, the | | | | the team, once again, failed to qualify for the 1982 |
| national side did not win the tournament, but they | | | | World Cup as was not able to win the South |
| paving the way for the Uruguayan World Cup soccer | | | | American Elimination. |
| team in South Africa in June 2010. | | | | Amid economic stagnation, corruption and human |
| In sub-Saharan Africa, the world's eyes were focused | | | | right abuses, up to 200 soccer players left the nation. |
| on Uruguay. Why? The national side -made up largely | | | | On the other hand, in 1984, the anti-Communist |
| of unknown players-- became one of the world's top | | | | dictatorship stepped down after 11 years. |
| four squads, knocking out the bookies' favorite, Brazil | | | | Once Upon a Time In Uruguay... |
| -made up of world-famous footballers. Upon beating | | | | Over the first half of the 20th century, Uruguay - |
| four squads: South Africa, Mexico,South Korea and | | | | slightly smaller than Missouri- wrote one of the most |
| Ghana, the nation- which had traditionally been a | | | | notable chapters in Latin American history as the |
| leader in the first half of the 20th century-- has | | | | country won praise from the international community |
| become the first Latin American country in 8 years | | | | for backing the democracy, human rights and human |
| to reach the men's semi-finals. | | | | development. As a result, Uruguay, which had one of |
| Uruguay's achievement came despite a serie of | | | | the highest per capita incomes in the Western |
| obstacles: a small nation of about 4 million of people, | | | | Hemisphere, had been compared to Switzerland and |
| exodus of players, lack of sponsors and traditional | | | | other European nations. Parallel to this, the |
| rivals (Brazil and Argentina). In addition to these | | | | Spanish-speaking republic boasted one of the most |
| obstacles, the country holds one of the lowest | | | | important Olympic projects on the American mainland. |
| sports budget in the Western | | | | In fact, sport, along with education, was a high |
| Hemisphere.Nonetheless, two factors have | | | | priority of the Uruguayan rule. It was during this time |
| contributed to development of soccer: human | | | | - considered the "Golden Age" in Uruguayan history-- |
| development and determination. | | | | that the national team was a leader in soccer on the |
| 1)- Human Development: Due to its notable human | | | | Planet. Since then, the football stars, including Obdulio |
| development - healthcare, nutrition, education and | | | | Varela -who led the national team to win in the 1950 |
| recreation--Uruguay is widely considered to be one of | | | | FIFA World Cup-- José Nasazzi and Pedro Cea |
| the developing world's most respeted democratic | | | | -who led the gold-medal winning Uruguayan Olympic |
| countries -the envy of many Spanish-speaking | | | | football team in Paris 1924 and Amsterdam 1928-- |
| republics in the region-- since the mid-1980s. By the | | | | were known in schools, universities and factories. |
| mid-1990s, the UNDP's Human Development Index | | | | At their peak, Uruguayan squad --a great Latin |
| ranked Uruguay - which does not have mineral | | | | American pride-- won consecutive Olympic football |
| resources such as oil, gas, silver and gold-- 32nd out | | | | gold medals in 1924 - at that time no other Latin |
| of 173 nations and dependencies. In other words, one | | | | American country had even won the Olympian |
| of the government's first priorities is to improve the | | | | trophy-- and 1928, as well as winning the first-ever |
| lives of Uruguay's children. In fact, these policies have | | | | men's World Cup title in 1930. These wins,on the |
| contributed to improve the country's athletic | | | | other hand, are considered among the soccer's most |
| performance, as well as the national pride. As a | | | | notable stories, which had inspired Brazil to produce |
| result, the under-17 national football team won the | | | | world-class teams. Yet the most outstanding |
| right to compete in the 1991 World Junior | | | | performance occurred in 1950. In that year, Uruguay's |
| Championships, a participation that it repeated in | | | | national football team made glory as it defeated |
| 1999, 2005 and 2009. | | | | Brazil, host country, and lifted the global title, an |
| 2)-Determination and Passion: If one word could ever | | | | event which was held at Maracana Stadium in Rio de |
| describe the Uruguayan team it is "determination". | | | | Janeiro. The country's win is a milestone in the history |
| Despite being made up of unknown players, the | | | | of soccer. |
| national side did not feel intimidated by world-famous | | | | These achievements gave the South American nation |
| squads such as France (which failed to measure up | | | | a prestige in the world disproportionate to its size |
| to predictions), Germany and the Netherlands. At the | | | | and population. Certainly, the democratic system did |
| 2010 World Cup, Uruguay, one of the smallest | | | | much to win international meets. Unfortunately these |
| republics geographically in the Western Hemisphere, | | | | wins did not continue as the military dictatorship was |
| had earned the respect of fans and experts by their | | | | established in the early 70s. |
| determination and passion. Since then, they, the | | | | Uruguay - A Country of Sports Lovers |
| Uruguayan squad, were aware of the nation's history | | | | Since the 1970s, the governments have not given |
| as one of the greatest pioneers of soccer.Without a | | | | high priority to sport. Despite to this, Uruguay -with a |
| doubt, theseplayers are a symbol of hope and | | | | population of 4 million-- has had extraordinary |
| courage. | | | | champs, including Ana Maria Norbis (aquatics), Fiorella |
| Dictatorship & Soccer | | | | Bonicelli (tennis), Sergio Lafuente (weightlifting) and |
| Following the 1973 auto-coup, the nation's then Head | | | | Ricardo Vera (track & field). Meanwhile, its basketball |
| of State José María Bordaberry, an anti-Marxist | | | | players were particularly successful as well. At the |
| strongman, established a de facto dictatorship, | | | | FIBA Colombia World Championships in the early 80s, |
| whereupon Uruguay was marked by several poblems. | | | | Uruguay's athlete Wilfredo Ruiz was the first top |
| The country's international image had been damaged | | | | scorer. Two years on, in 1984, for example, the |
| by the rule's poor human rights and anti-democratic | | | | basketball national team beat Canada and earned the |
| projects. Under this atmosphere, sport was not one | | | | right to compete in the Los Angeles Summer |
| of the priorities of the Uruguayan dictators, unlike | | | | Olympics (where they finished sixth). Previously |
| other tyrants in the region, including Argentina's Jorge | | | | Uruguay became the only Latin American squad to |
| Rafael Videla (1976-1981) and Peru's Juan Velasco | | | | take two consecutive Olympic basketball bronzes. |
| Alvarado (1968-1975). | | | | Apart from soccer and basketball, Uruguay has won |
| Year after year, the military regime reversed most | | | | praise for its international cyclists and rowers. In the |
| of the Olympic policies. In fact, football, which had | | | | 80s, the country's rower Jesús Posse came close |
| fostered national identity in the first half of the 20th | | | | to winning the gold medal in the World |
| century, entered a period of decline. After Uruguay's | | | | Championships, an international meet dominated by |
| participation in the World Cup in West Germany in | | | | East Europe. At the 2000 Summer Games in Oceania, |
| June 1974, where it came in 14th place, the nation, | | | | cyclist Milton Wybnants was first runner-up, behind |
| for example, lost the chance to win an Olympic | | | | Juan Llaneras of Spain. |
| medal as it refused to send soccer players to the | | | | Finally, the Uruguayan government should design an |
| 1976 Summer Olympic in Montreal (Canada). Yet, its | | | | ambitious program to put Uruguay --sometimes |
| most unsuccessful year was 1977 when Uruguay lost | | | | referred to as the "Switzerland of the Americas"- in |
| 1-0 to Bolivia and could not compete in the 1978 | | | | the top ten countries in the sporting world in this |
| World Cup. Without a doubt, the Uruguayan players, | | | | century. Like South Korea, one of the world's most |
| which once had defeated Brazil in Rio de Janeiro, | | | | successful Olympic nations since 1988, this |
| were plagued by poor morale. | | | | Spanish-speaking republic should think big. |
| By July 1979, surprisingly the national side did not | | | | |