Veteran strikers Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez have been left out of Uruguay’s squad for the opening two rounds of South America’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers, the country’s football association has said.
Also missing from the 25-man squad were goalkeeper Fernando Muslera and defender Jose Gimenez, both due to suspension and injured mainstays Ronald Araujo, Rodrigo Bentancur, Giorgian de Arrascaeta and Matias Vecino.
Two-time World Cup champions Uruguay will face Chile in Montevideo on September 8 and Ecuador in Quito four days later.
Recently appointed head coach Marcelo Bielsa recalled Cagliari midfielder Nahitan Nandez for the matches after an international hiatus of almost two years.
But the biggest surprise was the absence of Suarez and Cavani. The pair are first and second, respectively, on Uruguay’s list of all-time leading scorers with 126 goals between them for the South American team.
Both players are 36 and have been below their best for their respective clubs this season. Cavani has scored once in five matches for Argentine giants Boca Juniors while Suarez has fared better with 15 goals in 37 games for Brazil’s Gremio.
In a press conference last Saturday, Bielsa said that despite their age and form, neither Suarez nor Cavani had been ruled out of his plans. Their omissions mean that 30-year-old goalkeeper Sergio Rochet is the oldest player in the current squad.
