South American titans Uruguay are heading to the 2022 FIFA World Cup with two MLS stars in tow.
LA Galaxy defender MartĂn Cáceres and Orlando City SC winger Facundo Torres have been included in manager Diego Alonso's 26-man roster for the tournament that kicks off in less than two weeks.
A mainstay with La Celeste for well over a decade, Cáceres joined the Galaxy in late August to maintain match fitness before the Qatar-based tournament. With LA, the 35-year-old accumulated 603 total minutes over eight appearances between the regular season and the Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs. This will be Cáceres' fourth World Cup, after participating in South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018.
Torres, 22, was less of a sure thing, despite a breakout first year with the Lions. Orlando's record-setting signing from Peñarol had a 9g/10a haul over 33 regular-season games. He also was brilliant throughout the club's historic US Open Cup-winning campaign, scoring a brace in a 3-0 final win over USL Championship side Sacramento Republic FC.
In the end, these performances from the Designated Player were enough to convince Alonso, the former Inter Miami CF coach.
Two-time World Cup champions (1930, 1950) Uruguay will compete in Group H against South Korea (Nov. 24), Portugal (Nov. 28) and Ghana (Dec. 2). The group’s top two finishers reach the 16-team knockout round, building toward a Dec. 18 final at Lusail Stadium.
