For some time now, the name Patricio Pacífico has been circulating by word of mouth among Uruguayan football fans. Developed at Defensor Sporting, the left-footed centre-back had previously stood out in Uruguay’s youth national teams as one of the most promising players of the 2006 generation. Identified as part of...
In football, increasingly conditioned by speed, reduced spaces, and coordinated pressing, a technical detail or a tactical reading can determine the direction of a play or even the outcome of an entire match. Rodrigo Bentancur, the Uruguayan midfielder from Tottenham Hotspur, is one of those few players capable of giving...
The recent call-up of Kevin Amaro to the Uruguayan National Team, under the direction of Marcelo Bielsa, was not just a surprise but the confirmation of his meteoric rise. At 21, the Liverpool Montevideo right-back became the only player called up from the local league for the last double fixture...
Liverpool Montevideo have been one of the incredible sensations in Uruguay and, indeed, all of South America this year. After a complicated 2024, following a historic 2023 that saw them crowned Uruguayan champions for the first time in their history, the team failed to qualify for continental competitions. However, the...
In this tactical analysis, we will explore the five types of off-the-ball movement that Marcelo Bielsa identifies and teaches as the foundation for generating passing lines, sustaining ball circulation, and breaking defensive structures. For Bielsa tactics, the game is not limited to the ball possessor; the active and conscious participation...
As the third football power in South America behind Argentina and Brazil, Uruguay is one of the markets most frequently visited by European clubs to detect young prospects. Uruguay has produced countless top-flight players, including Luis Suárez, Federico Valverde, Darwin Núñez, Ronald Araújo, and José María Giménez. Following in their footsteps, Gonzalo Petit...
At the time of writing, Fluminense are 14th in the Brazilian Serie A, having recorded 10 wins, seven draws, and 16 defeats after 33 games played; quite clearly, they are a struggling team. However, not all is lost. Despite their difficulties keeping up with the rest of the Brazilian elite,...
Uruguay and Colombia’s form had dipped over recent months. Neither side has consistently performed well since they faced each other in the Copa América semi-final. Uruguay had failed to win any of their last four fixtures. Colombia had won two of their previous four matches. However, a loss against 10-man...
Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay have not been at their best since the early games of this past summer's Copa América. In general, they have a stimulating style of play, but due to many injuries and suspensions, their performance levels have been dropping, and their systematic problems are in sight. Uruguay were...
Welcome to TFA today, where we share essential articles from the TFA archive that are relevant once again. Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay Analysed Uruguay takes on Ecuador tonight in a CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifier! Get an idea of how Uruguay may approach the game from our Copa América 2024 preview, in...
Modern football's requirements at centre-back have evolved, along with the rest of the game. With the rise of high pressing in recent years, defenders must be prepared to face in-possession challenges under pressure. On the other hand, the volume of faster transitions has developed, so the defenders also have to...
South America is an endless generator of top-class footballing talent, as both the past and present make evidently clear. Plenty of the game’s most prestigious clubs, such as Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City, have made it a habit to recruit players directly from South America in recent years. LaLiga...
In one of the most anticipated matchups of the tournament, Los Cafeteros and La Celeste clashed in Charlotte, North Carolina, to determine who would face Argentina in the CONMEBOL Copa América 2024 Final. Both Colombia and Uruguay had proven their prowess in the matches leading up to this decisive knockout...
The Copa América clash between Uruguay and Panama was a tactical feast that kept fans on the edge of their seats. As these two teams clashed on the field, their strategic approaches were evident, with each team showcasing distinct tactical game plans that highlighted their strengths and exposed their vulnerabilities....
Uruguay are the joint-most successful team in Copa América history, joint at the top of the all-time winners rankings with Argentina on 15 titles apiece. However, they’ve failed to make it past the quarter-finals in any of the last four iterations of this tournament, dropping out at that stage in...
A lot of players feature more often for their club than they feature for their national teams, but for Facundo Pellestri, it is quite often the opposite. Since signing for Manchester United in 2020, Pellestri has featured more for Uruguay than he has for the Red Devils. A number of...
The high press consumed football tactics for most of the past few decades. It was a way to set the match's tempo from defence, to be the aggressor and create opportunities for recoveries high up the pitch. Clubs like Barcelona and Manchester City have been leaders in the movement. Add...
With the arrival of superstars like Lionel Messi from Paris Saint-Germain, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba from Barcelona, the MLS has suddenly seen a big rise in popularity. But even before these La Liga giants crossed the pond, the American domestic league had already been full of talent; some were...
It is public knowledge that Manuel Ugarte is calling interest from top clubs and top leagues. However, the English clubs were the ones who showed more concrete interest in signing the Uruguayan, especially Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool and, more recently, Tottenham Hotspur. In this tactical analysis, we will detail Manuel Ugarte's position at Sporting...
For most of the match, Uruguay dominated possession of the ball, generating 10 shots, of which only one went on target. However, having possession does not mean playing better, and a lot has been shown in this World Cup, in which many teams have proposed exquisite work off the ball that...
