Sebastian Abreu is a living legend of the . The Minas-born ace first stepped onto the global stage at and went on to earn 70 international caps and score 26 goals for his nation.
Eight years after his World Cup debut, Abreu was part of the squad that secured fourth place in South Africa. The man often affectionately dubbed El Loco (The Madman) lived up to his moniker by opting for an audacious Panenka to score the decisive spot kick in the quarter-final penalty shoot-out triumph over Ghana, sparking jubilation in a country of just three million people, most of whom who live and breathe football.
Speaking to FIFA about the current Celeste side, the 49-year-old stressed that Marcelo Bielsa has plenty of talent at his disposal, but conceded that, following a against Saudi Arabia and a with Cabo Verde, Los Charruas need to “raise their game if they’re to have any hope of reaching the latter stages”. Abreu, now a coach for Mexican outfit Club Tijuana, also reflected on his own experiences at the global showpiece.
I grew up in a town with a population of 35,000 where nobody had ever played at a World Cup. I was the first – and so far, the only – one to do so. All of a sudden, I found myself standing on the pitch, singing the national anthem, spotting my parents in the stands and living out everyone’s dreams. I came from a family that faced significant hardship and lacked many basic necessities. I was surrounded by love, but there were also countless challenges. I’m of African descent on my father’s side and experienced racism in the 1970s and 1980s.
All my hard work paid off when I got the chance to play at a World Cup. It doesn’t get any better than that. To enjoy a privilege that so many want, but so few can attain was fantastic. Regardless of the results, it creates incredible memories that are unmatched and impossible to replicate. I was then fortunate enough to play in another one, which was a fantastic experience, especially given how well we performed. That said, there’s nothing quite like the first time. It earns you lifelong credibility and a seat at the table whenever the tournament is being discussed. Everything that comes with participating at the World Cup is special, and I’ve been lucky enough to feature in two tournaments.
It fills you with pride. You feel as though you’ve donned the best shirt anyone could possibly wear, you’re representing your nation and the whole country is depending on you and your team-mates. It’s a huge privilege to compete with the best in the world and to be among all of those top players. Whenever I go back to my hometown, there’s always someone eager to remind me that I played at the World Cup, even after all these years.
It felt like a chance for redemption because 2002 had left us with a bittersweet feeling, and now we had the opportunity to set the record straight. Everyone was getting their first taste of the tournament, with the exception of and I so it was also special to share some of my World Cup experience with the lads. There’s always room for optimism, but we went there with more hope than expectation because we were one of the last teams to qualify, following our play-off against Costa Rica. It was a statistical fact that three quarters of our fans had already booked their flights home for immediately after our last group-stage match. We kept progressing, round after round, and suddenly we found ourselves on a stage where Uruguay could stand shoulder to shoulder with the world’s footballing giants, as semi-finalists alongside Germany, Spain and the Netherlands. It was fantastic.
People poured onto the streets and recreated the glory days our grandparents had told us about involving the legendary Uruguay sides of old. They were used to seeing them compete for trophies on the biggest stages, and we finally got to experience that first-hand. We were watching videos of people in every town in Uruguay taking to the streets. There were no divides along racial lines; everyone came together as one. Even strangers were hugging one another. To this day, you can travel to some of the most remote spots in the country and someone will still come up to you and share their memories of 2010. It was special and one that us Uruguayans will never forget.
It probably ranks as the most exciting match of my entire career. It was an emotional rollercoaster. We were on top, then they took the lead before Diego [Forlan] equalised. The match grew into a tense, physical and hard-fought affair. It went to extra time and then came that defining moment in the dying stages when by denying them the chance to go 2-1 up but getting sent off and conceding a penalty in the process. It’d have been such a shame to see all our hard work come to nothing, but they missed the penalty, and it all came down to the shoot-out.
Playing such a crucial part in securing Uruguay’s first World Cup semi-final appearance in 40 years is something I’ll remember forever. If I had to put the feeling into words, I think it was the best moment of my life after the births of my four children. First came sheer elation, then pure emotion because I started to remember my journey to that point: the circumstances in which I was born, where I came from and how tough it’d been for us. It was hard work, but it was worth it to be able to give something back to my family and our people.
Sources: FIFA Official
