Uruguay might not quite have the same reputation as their illustrious neighbours Argentina and Brazil, but the two-time World Cup winners have still produced a wealth of talent.
Luis Suarez doesn't need any introduction and neither does Edinson Cavani or Diego Forlan.
But there have been many more attacking greats representing La Celeste.
Just think Pablo Dorado or Hector Castro, the heroes of the 1930 World Cup final against Argentina.
Or Hector Scarone, who led Uruguay to two World Cup wins.
Who is Uruguay's most lethal attacker ever, though?
Let's take a look at the men leading their all-time goalscoring charts!
Luis Suarez is not just one of the greatest footballers Uruguay has produced, but he is also their highest-ever goalscorer on the international stage.
Suarez made his international debut against Colombia back in 2007 in a game that was oddly memorable as he was shown a red card by the referee in the 85th minute.
He won the Copa America with Uruguay in 2011 and has scored 68 goals.
Edinson Cavani has proved himself as one of the most lethal strikers around on the international stage.
He made his Uruguay debut in 2008 as he scored in a 2-2 draw against Colombia, and has never looked back since, scoring 58 goals in 133 games for his country.
El Matador featured in the 2011 Copa America final in Argentina as a substitute and was involved in Uruguay's last goal as they beat Paraguay 3-0 to win their record 15th title.
Diego Forlan scored on his debut for Uruguay in a friendly defeat against Saudi Arabia in 2002 to get his international career off to a flyer and it soon became apparent they had another attacking gem on their hands.
Forlan went on to score a total of 36 goals in 108 international games across all competitions for his country, with his most memorable goal being a right-footed long range effort against hosts South Africa at the World Cup in 2010.
An inside forward with immense goal-scoring appetite, Hector Scarone was considered one of the best players in the world in his prime.
Scarone, who featured for Barcelona in Europe, won the South American Championship four times, in 1917, 1923, 1924 and 1926.
He led Uruguay to glory in the 1930 World Cup before retiring from the game.
El Mago scored 31 goals in 52 international games for his country.
Six-time Copa America winner Angel Romano was an absolute revelation in his prime.
Featuring as a number 10 or an inside-forward, Romano mesmerised football fans all across South America.
In his national team career between 1911 to 1927, Romano he in 70 games, scoring 28 goals and also winning the Gold medal at the summer Olympics in 1924.
Oscar Miguez was the man for the big occasion as Uruguay's all-time top goalscorer at World Cup tournaments with eight goals, scoring five of those in leading his country to World Cup glory in 1950.
From 1950 to 1958, the attacker scored 27 goals in 39 games for Uruguay, before retiring from international football.
Nicknamed 'Loco', meaning 'Madman', Sebastian Abreu represented Uruguay in two World Cups and three Copa America tournaments.
In his 16-year stint with the Uruguayan national team, the striker managed to score 26 goals in 70 appearances.
Abreu's ultimate moment of madness came when he scored the decisive penalty in Uruguay's shootout against Ghana at the 2010 World Cup, a Panenka to send his team to the World Cup semi-final for the first time in 40 years.
A two-time Olympic gold medalist in 1924 and 1928, Pedro Petrone also won the 1930 World Cup with Uruguay.
He is till date, the youngest-ever football gold medalist in the history of Olympic games, having won his first gold at the age of 19.
Petrone scored 24 goals in 29 official caps for Uruguay, but if we consider non-FIFA officiated matches, he featured in 80 games for Uruguay, scoring 36 goals.
Ninth on the list of Uruguay's all time top goalscorers in history, Fernando Morena made his debut against Chile back in October 1971, scoring his first goal in a 3-0 win.
Over the years, Morena went on to accumulate 22 goals in 53 games for La Celeste.
He suffered a serious fracture when playing against Venezuela in the 1983 Copa America, though, and never appeared for Uruguay again.
Tenth on the list of top international goal scorers for Uruguay is Carlos Aguilera.
The striker scored 22 goals in 64 games for the national team, winning the 1983 Copa America as the top scorer in the tournament with three goals.
He also represented Uruguay at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico and the 1990 World Cup in Italy.
Aguilera was a key part of the Uruguay team that came runners-up in the 1989 Copa America.
Position | Player | Games | Goals | Uruguay career |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Luis Suarez | 134 | 68 | 2007 - present |
2. | Edinson Cavani | 132 | 58 | 2008 - present |
3. | Diego Forlan | 112 | 36 | 2002 - 2014 |
4. | Hector Scarone | 51 | 31 | 1917 - 1930 |
5. | Angel Romano | 69 | 28 | 1911 - 1927 |
6. | Oscar Miguez | 39 | 27 | 1950 - 1958 |
7. | Sebastian Abreu | 70 | 26 | 1996 - 2012 |
8. | Pedro Petrone | 28 | 24 | 1923 - 1930 |
9. | Fernando Morena | 53 | 22 | 1971 - 1983 |
10. | Carlos Aguilera | 64 | 22 | 1982 - 1997 |
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