Poyet on Uruguay's Spain showdown and faith in Darwin Nunez

Gustavo Poyet, a 1995 Copa America champion with Uruguay, has spoken about the unique pressure of representing the Celeste and the team's resurgence under head coach Marcelo Bielsa ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026. In an interview with FIFA, the Montevideo native reflected on the weight of expectation that comes with wearing the Uruguay shirt, given the country's storied history despite its small population.

The Weight of History

Poyet emphasized that winning for the national team carries a deeper significance than club success. "When you win with your club, you make your family happy, along with your close friends and the fans of the club. But when you win with your country, it's your hometown, your neighbour, your school. It's everyone. You bring joy to a lot more people. So, it's on another level," he said.

He noted the paradox of Uruguay's expectations: "Incredibly, it's both one of the best and the worst things at the same time: you have an obligation to win. Even though it's a country with a population of just three and a half million people, Uruguay won the 1930 and 1950 editions of the World Cup and a bunch of Copa America titles. So, people expect you to win every tournament you play in. On paper, there's no justification for saying Uruguay should be one of the favourites to win everything, but that's how Uruguayans think."

Bielsa's Impact and Tactical Identity

Poyet highlighted the importance of style of play under Bielsa. "The style of play is important. When you win, everyone falls in love with it. But unfortunately, when you lose, people want things to go back to the way they were. The average fan hasn't forgotten how we used to win. It's part of their identity. The team's tactics and technical strengths really have to align if you're going to get everyone on board. If you win, they'll be with you no matter what."

Discussing Bielsa's approach, Poyet said: "I think he brings intensity. Bielsa has been changing all sorts of things in search of that energy. He wants his team to be intense. There were times when it was all about going toe-to-toe. Then it turned into intense pressing, winning the ball back and quick, direct attacking play. I don't mean long balls, but moving the ball forward quickly."

Poyet noted that Uruguay reached their peak quickly under Bielsa, but maintaining that level proved challenging. "I think it only took four months. It was hard to maintain that level afterwards, not just because your opponents get to know you, but also players like Nicolas De la Cruz dropped off, got injured or didn't play as much after moving to Brazil. That's sort of when the problems started."

Key Players: Valverde and Nunez

Poyet stressed the need to give Federico Valverde freedom on the pitch. "I don't think he's a player who has a lot to learn. Just let him loose and see what happens. Thinking about those four or five games with [Trent] Alexander-Arnold on the right, he scored goals, got in the box and shot on target. He needs to be given the freedom to play. I'd even say that he shouldn't be made to feel like he's carrying the team on his shoulders. Just give him the freedom to play, that's all."

When asked about a potential match-winner, Poyet pointed to Darwin Nunez. "Given his desire and what it would mean to him, I think Darwin Nunez could be the one. He made a really tough decision." Poyet also highlighted the strong-willed nature of Uruguayan players as both a help and a hindrance, and expressed hope that the team can harness that trait effectively.