Uruguay’s Suarez, Cavani picked for fourth World Cup

Ag AFP

MONTEVIDEO: Veteran star strike pairing Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani were called up for their fourth and probably final World Cup together as Uruguay coach Diego Alonso named his 26-man squad for Qatar.

There was also room for Barcelona center-back Ronald Araujo in the squad announced late on Thursday night despite the 23-year-old still recovering from a calf injury.

Barcelona are due to send a medical specialist to Qatar to continue treating Araujo and ensure he does not play until fully fit, following an agreement made between the Catalans and the Uruguayan football federation (AUF).

Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde and Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez are two other star names in the squad.

Suarez and Cavani, both 35, are the top two scorers in the Celeste´s history with respectively 68 and 58 goals.

Each has played more than 130 times for their country. Three more veterans, center-back Diego Godin, 36, full-back Martin Caceres, 35, and goalkeeper Fernando Muslera, 36, have also been picked for a fourth World Cup.

Manchester United winger Facundo Pellistri is included despite not playing a single senior match this season. In fact, in more than two years since joining the 20-time English champions, Pellistri is still to make his debut, having spent a year-and-a-half on loan at Spanish club Alaves.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Sergio Rochet, Fernando Muslera, Sebastian Sosa.

Defenders: Jose Luis Rodriguez, Guillermo Varela, Ronald Araujo, Jose Maria Gimenez, Sebastian Coates, Diego Godin, Martin Caceres , Matias Vina, Mathias Olivera.

Midfielders: Matias Vecino, Rodrigo Bentancur, Federico Valverde, Lucas Torreira, Manuel Ugarte, Facundo Pellistri, Nicolas De la Cruz, Giorgian de Arrascaeta, Agustín Canobbio, Facundo Torres.

Forwards: Darwin Nunez, Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani, Maximiliano Gomez.