Sports in Uruguay
Encyclopedia
Sport in Uruguay has been part of Uruguayan culture from the early start of the nation. Winners of such important awards such as the FIFA World Cup
, the French Open, and Olympic medals, Uruguay has been a constantly successful sports nation in continental and world aspects.
) is the most popular sport in Uruguay
. Uruguay won an Olympic gold medal in 1924 and another one in 1928, which were considered the most important tournaments in football before the World Cup began in 1930, hence the four stars on the Uruguayan jersey. The first World Cup
, which Uruguay won , was held in 1930
in Montevideo
. The Estadio Centenario
was built for the World Cup, and serves to this day as the country's main football stadium.
Uruguay also won the World Cup in 1950
, beating Brazil
in Rio de Janeiro
at the Estádio do Maracanã
. The event has had astounding impacts on the history of the sport, and is known as the Maracanazo. The upset is a fact of which many Uruguayan football fans still boast. Uruguay still produces quality players, however, such as Alvaro Recoba
, who currently plays for the Greek club team Panionios, Luis Suárez
, who plays for Liverpool F.C.
, and Diego Forlán
, who plays for Italian League team Inter Milan.
boasts a proud early history. The Uruguayan basketball team placed 6th in the first Olympic Games (Berlin 1936
), 5th in London 1948
, 3rd in Helsinki 1952
, 3rd in Melbourne 1956
, 8th in Rome 1960
, and 8th in Tokyo 1964
. After this successful run, the team did not qualify as finalists in any Olympic tournament until the 1984
games in Los Angeles
, in which they earned 6th place. Uruguay has also won 12 South American championships and participated in many Pan-American and World Championships. Uruguay was the host for the 1967 FIBA World Championship
.
The Liga Uruguaya, Uruguay's top league, attracts many players from Argentina
and Brazil
. Although there is one Uruguayan player Esteban Batista
playing for the Boston Celtics in the NBA.
is a popular recreational sport in Uruguay. The tragic crash of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571
, and the resulting books and films, Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors
and Alive
brought Uruguayan rugby into the global limelight.
Football
is undoubtedly the most popular sport in Uruguay. Basketball
ranks second in popularity and rugby union is considered the third most popular sport.
The popularity of rugby increased significantly after the national side qualified for the 1999 Rugby World Cup
and the subsequent 2003 World Cup
, this saw a renewed interest in the sport and broad media coverage of the game.
The Uruguayan national team
, more commonly known as the Los Teros (Southern Lapwing
), represent Uruguay at international level. The team is governed by the Unión de Rugby del Uruguay
and are the second-highest ranked team in South America
after Argentina, at 20th in the world.
Uruguayan rugby players such as Pablo Lemoine
and Rodrigo Capó Ortega have enjoyed success in the professional European leagues.
is Uruguay's most successful player, winning five singles titles, reaching the quarterfinals at the 1999 French Open
, and achieving a rank of #30 in 1990. The Uruguay Davis Cup team
currently competes in Group I of the Americas regional Zone, and the Fed Cup team
competes in Group I as well. Pablo Cuevas
is currently the highest-ranked Uruguayan male player.
: Eitel Cantoni
, Asdrúbal Fontes Bayardo, Óscar González
and Alberto Uria
. The latter two shared a ride at the 1956 Argentine Grand Prix
and finished 6th. Gonzalo Rodríguez won International Formula 3000 races at Nürburgring
, Spa-Francorchamps and Monaco
and finished 3rd in the 1998 and 1999 seasons. He got a ride in the CART World Series
for Penske Racing
, where he finished 12th in his debut, but got killed in a crash during practice for his second race.
Uruguay has been a major force in South American rally. The most notable driver is Gustavo Trelles
, who won the FIA Group N World Cup four times straight from 1996 to 1999, finished runner-up in 1990, 2000 and 2001, and ranked 9th in the 1993 World Rally Championship season with a best result of fourth in the Rally Argentina
. The Rally del Atlántico, held in the Maldonado department, is regularly included in the South American rally Championship.
The two major purpose-built circuits are El Pinar and Mercedes, whereas several cities have hosted street races, including Montevideo, Punta del Este and Piriápolis. Major Argentine and South American road course championship series have raced at those places, most notably the Turismo Carretera
, TC 2000
, Top Race and Formula Three Sudamericana
, and also international karting and motorcycling events. Conversely, Uruguayan drivers have raced in Argentina, most recently Juan Cáceres
and José Pedro Passadore
Currently, Uruguay has national championships for road course racing (both automobiles and motorcycles), rallying, motocross and karting.
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
, the French Open, and Olympic medals, Uruguay has been a constantly successful sports nation in continental and world aspects.
Soccer (Football)
Association Football (fútbol in SpanishSpanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
) is the most popular sport in Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
. Uruguay won an Olympic gold medal in 1924 and another one in 1928, which were considered the most important tournaments in football before the World Cup began in 1930, hence the four stars on the Uruguayan jersey. The first World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
, which Uruguay won , was held in 1930
1930 FIFA World Cup
The 1930 FIFA World Cup was the inaugural FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in Uruguay from 13 July to 30 July 1930...
in Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
. The Estadio Centenario
Estadio Centenario
Estadio Centenario is a stadium in Parque Batlle, Montevideo, Uruguay, used primarily for football. The stadium was built between 1929 and 1930 to host the 1930 FIFA World Cup, as well as to commemorate the centennial of Uruguay's first constitution...
was built for the World Cup, and serves to this day as the country's main football stadium.
Uruguay also won the World Cup in 1950
1950 FIFA World Cup
The 1950 FIFA World Cup, held in Brazil from 24 June to 16 July, was the fourth FIFA World Cup. It was the first World Cup since 1938, the planned 1942 and 1946 competitions having been canceled owing to World War II...
, beating Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
at the Estádio do Maracanã
Estádio do Maracanã
The Estádio do Maracanã , officially Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho, is an open-air stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Owned by the Rio de Janeiro State Government, it is named after the Maracanã neighbourhood in Rio de Janeiro. It was opened in 1950 to host the FIFA World Cup, and in the final...
. The event has had astounding impacts on the history of the sport, and is known as the Maracanazo. The upset is a fact of which many Uruguayan football fans still boast. Uruguay still produces quality players, however, such as Alvaro Recoba
Álvaro Recoba
Álvaro Alexander Recoba Rivero , nicknamed "El Chino", is a Uruguayan footballer currently playing for Primera División Uruguaya side Club Nacional de Football...
, who currently plays for the Greek club team Panionios, Luis Suárez
Luis Suárez (Uruguayan footballer)
Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz , commonly known as Luis Suárez and nicknamed "El Pistolero" , is a Uruguayan footballer who plays for Liverpool and the Uruguayan national team...
, who plays for Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, and Diego Forlán
Diego Forlán
Diego Forlán Corazo is an Uruguayan footballer who plays as a striker for Internazionale and the Uruguayan national team. He is a two-time winner of both the Pichichi Trophy and the European Golden Shoe, and also received the Golden Ball as the best player at the 2010 World Cup.Forlán was born...
, who plays for Italian League team Inter Milan.
Basketball
Basketball has risen as a competitive alternative to football and rugby, and the Uruguayan Basketball FederationUruguayan Basketball Federation
The Federacion Uruguaya de Basketball also known by the acronymun FUBB, is Uruguay's professional basketball league's federation.-History: under the presidency of Federico Crocker...
boasts a proud early history. The Uruguayan basketball team placed 6th in the first Olympic Games (Berlin 1936
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...
), 5th in London 1948
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
, 3rd in Helsinki 1952
1952 Summer Olympics
The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II...
, 3rd in Melbourne 1956
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
, 8th in Rome 1960
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
, and 8th in Tokyo 1964
1964 Summer Olympics
The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
. After this successful run, the team did not qualify as finalists in any Olympic tournament until the 1984
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
games in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, in which they earned 6th place. Uruguay has also won 12 South American championships and participated in many Pan-American and World Championships. Uruguay was the host for the 1967 FIBA World Championship
FIBA World Championship
The FIBA World Championship is an international basketball competition contested by the men's national teams of the members of the International Basketball Federation , the sport's global governing body...
.
The Liga Uruguaya, Uruguay's top league, attracts many players from Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. Although there is one Uruguayan player Esteban Batista
Esteban Batista
Esteban Damián Batista Hernández is a Uruguayan professional basketball player currently with Anadolu Efes in the Turkish Basketball League and Euroleague. He is also the first ever Uruguayan to play in the NBA....
playing for the Boston Celtics in the NBA.
Rugby union
With a history dating back to the 1940s, rugbyRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
is a popular recreational sport in Uruguay. The tragic crash of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571
Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571
Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, also known as the Andes flight disaster, and in South America as Miracle in the Andes was a chartered flight carrying 45 people, including a rugby team, their friends, family and associates that crashed in the Andes on October 13, 1972...
, and the resulting books and films, Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors
Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors
Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors is a 1974 book by the British writer Piers Paul Read documenting the events of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571.-Story:...
and Alive
Alive (1993 film)
Alive is a 1993 American movie based upon Piers Paul Read's 1974 book Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors, which details the story of a Uruguayan rugby team who were involved in the crash of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, which crashed into the Andes mountains on October 13, 1972.The film was...
brought Uruguayan rugby into the global limelight.
Football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
is undoubtedly the most popular sport in Uruguay. Basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
ranks second in popularity and rugby union is considered the third most popular sport.
The popularity of rugby increased significantly after the national side qualified for the 1999 Rugby World Cup
1999 Rugby World Cup
The 1999 Rugby World Cup was the fourth Rugby World Cup, and the first to be held in rugby union's professional era. The principal host nation was Wales, although the majority of matches were played outside the country, shared between England, France, Scotland and Ireland...
and the subsequent 2003 World Cup
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
, this saw a renewed interest in the sport and broad media coverage of the game.
The Uruguayan national team
Uruguay national rugby union team
The Uruguay national rugby union team is the representative side of Uruguay, governed by the Unión de Rugby del Uruguay. They have been playing international rugby since 1948. Their jersey is blue and black and they are known as Los Teros. They qualified twice for the Rugby World Cup, in 1999 and...
, more commonly known as the Los Teros (Southern Lapwing
Southern Lapwing
The Southern Lapwing is a wader in the family Charadriiformes. It is a common and widespread resident throughout South America, except in densely forested regions , the higher parts of the Andes and the arid coast of a large part of western South America. This bird is particularly common in the...
), represent Uruguay at international level. The team is governed by the Unión de Rugby del Uruguay
Unión de Rugby del Uruguay
The Uruguayan Rugby Union is the governing body for rugby union in Uruguay.-Foundation and affiliation:It was founded in 1951 and became affiliated to the International Rugby Board in 1989.They have been represented in the 1999 and 2003 Rugby World Cups....
and are the second-highest ranked team in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
after Argentina, at 20th in the world.
Uruguayan rugby players such as Pablo Lemoine
Pablo Lemoine
Pablo Adrian Lemoine is a Uruguayan rugby union player. He plays as a prop.-Career:Lemoine was first noticed in is own country, but then moved to Bristol Shoguns, for the season of 1998/99, where he became a professional. He moved again to Stade français, which side he represented for the seasons...
and Rodrigo Capó Ortega have enjoyed success in the professional European leagues.
Tennis
Tennis is mildly popular in Uruguay, although Uruguayan players have not been as successful as the Argentinian and Chilean ones. Marcelo FilippiniMarcelo Filippini
Marcelo Filippini is a former professional tennis player from Uruguay.In 1996, Filippini played what was longest known game in ATP Tour history at Casablanca, going to deuce 20 times with Alberto Berasategui in one game of a 6–2, 6–3 first round loss...
is Uruguay's most successful player, winning five singles titles, reaching the quarterfinals at the 1999 French Open
1999 French Open
-Men's Singles:* Men's SinglesList of the 1999 French Open champions:-Men's singles: Andre Agassi def. Andrei Medvedev, 1–6, 2–6, 6–4, 6–3, 6–4...
, and achieving a rank of #30 in 1990. The Uruguay Davis Cup team
Uruguay Davis Cup team
The Uruguay Davis Cup team represents Uruguay in Davis Cup tennis competition and are governed by the Asociación Uruguaya de Tenis.Uruguay had been playing in Group II since being relegated in 1996...
currently competes in Group I of the Americas regional Zone, and the Fed Cup team
Uruguay Fed Cup team
The Uruguay Fed Cup team represents Uruguay in Fed Cup tennis competition and are governed by the Asociación Uruguaya de Tenis. They currently compete in the Americas Zone Group II.-History:...
competes in Group I as well. Pablo Cuevas
Pablo Cuevas
Pablo Gabriel Cuevas Urroz is a Uruguayan professional tennis player. Cuevas won the 2008 French Open Men's Doubles title with Luis Horna....
is currently the highest-ranked Uruguayan male player.
Motorsport
Four Uruguayan drivers competed in Formula OneFormula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
: Eitel Cantoni
Eitel Cantoni
Eitel Danilo Cantoni was a racing driver from Uruguay. He participated in three World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 19 July 1952...
, Asdrúbal Fontes Bayardo, Óscar González
Oscar González
For the Spanish decathlete with the same name see Óscar González Óscar Mario "Bocha" González was a racing driver from Uruguay....
and Alberto Uria
Alberto Uria
Alberto Uria , was a racing driver from Uruguay. He participated in two Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 16 January 1955. He entered two Argentine Grand Prix races as a privateer running a Maserati...
. The latter two shared a ride at the 1956 Argentine Grand Prix
1956 Argentine Grand Prix
The 1956 Argentine Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 22 January 1956 at Buenos Aires. It was the first round of the 1956 World Drivers' Championship....
and finished 6th. Gonzalo Rodríguez won International Formula 3000 races at Nürburgring
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
, Spa-Francorchamps and Monaco
Monaco Grand Prix
The Monaco Grand Prix is a Formula One race held each year on the Circuit de Monaco. Run since 1929, it is widely considered to be one of the most important and prestigious automobile races in the world, alongside the Daytona 500, Indianapolis 500, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans...
and finished 3rd in the 1998 and 1999 seasons. He got a ride in the CART World Series
CART World Series
CART World Series a game for the PlayStation, published and developed by Sony Computer Entertainment and released on September 16, 1997. CART World Series is based on the Championship Auto Racing Teams open-wheel racing series.-Gameplay:...
for Penske Racing
Penske Racing
Penske Racing is a racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series and NASCAR. They also previously competed in road racing, and Formula One. Penske Racing is a division of Penske Corporation, and is owned and chaired by Roger Penske...
, where he finished 12th in his debut, but got killed in a crash during practice for his second race.
Uruguay has been a major force in South American rally. The most notable driver is Gustavo Trelles
Gustavo Trelles
Gustavo Trelles is a Uruguayan former rally driver. He competed actively in the World Rally Championship from 1988 to 1993, mainly with a Lancia Delta Integrale, and from 1996 to 2002, mainly with a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution....
, who won the FIA Group N World Cup four times straight from 1996 to 1999, finished runner-up in 1990, 2000 and 2001, and ranked 9th in the 1993 World Rally Championship season with a best result of fourth in the Rally Argentina
Rally Argentina
The Rally Argentina is an Argentine rally competition that has been both a round of the World Rally Championship and also the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. The rally is also a round of the South American Rally Championship and the Argentine Rally Championship...
. The Rally del Atlántico, held in the Maldonado department, is regularly included in the South American rally Championship.
The two major purpose-built circuits are El Pinar and Mercedes, whereas several cities have hosted street races, including Montevideo, Punta del Este and Piriápolis. Major Argentine and South American road course championship series have raced at those places, most notably the Turismo Carretera
Turismo Carretera
Turismo Carretera is a popular touring car racing series in Argentina, and the oldest car racing series still active in the world....
, TC 2000
TC 2000
The TC 2000 Championship is a touring car racing series held in Argentina since 1979. It's considered the most advanced racing car series in South America and one of the top 10 touring car series in the world.-Rules:...
, Top Race and Formula Three Sudamericana
Formula Three Sudamericana
Formula Three Sudamericana is the official name for the South American Formula Three Championship. It was inaugurated in 1987 and currently holds events in Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay...
, and also international karting and motorcycling events. Conversely, Uruguayan drivers have raced in Argentina, most recently Juan Cáceres
Juan Cáceres
Juan Ignacio Cáceres is a Uruguayan race car driver from Punta del Este.Caceres began racing in Europe in 2001 and has competed in Italian Formula Renault, Spanish/Portuguese Formula BMW Junior Cup , and Spanish Formula Three. In 2005 he drove in Italian Formula 3000 and had a Formula One test...
and José Pedro Passadore
Currently, Uruguay has national championships for road course racing (both automobiles and motorcycles), rallying, motocross and karting.