Uruguay Coach Bielsa Relishes England Test At Wembley Ahead Of World Cup

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Marcelo Bielsa is preparing Uruguay for a high-profile test at Wembley Stadium against England, describing the occasion with a simple line: "Playing against the best always excites me." The friendly forms part of both nations’ build-up for the World Cup later this year.

Uruguay arrive with Federico Valverde in standout form for Real Madrid. Operating mainly from the right, Valverde has scored six goals in Madrid’s last five matches, including a hat-trick in the first leg of their Champions League tie against Manchester City.

Both England and Uruguay use this international window to sharpen plans for the World Cup. Uruguay finished fourth in the CONMEBOL qualification group, 10 points behind Argentina but above Brazil on goal difference. Bielsa’s team will face Spain, Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia in Group H.

Saudi Arabia provide Uruguay’s first World Cup test on 15 June, while England’s schedule features two Wembley friendlies in this break. Thomas Tuchel’s side first host Uruguay, then welcome Japan on Tuesday, as England continue to shape the squad and style before the tournament starts.

The meeting at Wembley is the first between England and Uruguay since the 2014 World Cup. That match ended 2-1 to Uruguay, with Luis Suarez scoring twice and England exiting at the group stage. Historical results show England have often struggled in this fixture.

Across all contests, England hold a 27% win rate against Uruguay, with three victories from 11 games. They fare worse only against Brazil and Romania when considering opponents faced at least 10 times.

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England vs Uruguay Marcelo Bielsa perspective

Bielsa underlined his belief in Uruguay’s potential while recognising England’s strength. "We are in a position to compete, with excellent possibilities," Bielsa said at Thursday's pre-match press conference. "I never ignore our rivals, especially when they are a top team, but I also believe a lot in our players and in what we can do as a collective force. Every game is an opportunity. Obviously, I am not ignorant of the quality that we have to face, but all the games we play demand the maximum from us. Playing against the best always excites me."

England vs Uruguay tactical focus on Valverde

Bielsa highlighted Valverde’s recent level and versatility in detail. "He was always an outstanding player, but obviously, in recent games he has had a very striking ability to unbalance opponents, which is a new side of him," Bielsa said of Valverde. "He has played in his natural position as a central midfielder, but then he has solved the team's needs as a right-back, and now, as a winger, he has shown things that we had not seen often before. He's a very dynamic player. He can solve actions behind him, going forward, in the centre or on the sides, to the right or to the left. Valverde finds positive answers, he is always in a position to solve problems. And since he is very dynamic, he has many opportunities to have an impact."

The Wembley match therefore serves several purposes for Uruguay. Bielsa can test Valverde’s influence from the right, assess Uruguay’s structure against a leading European side, and refine combinations before facing Saudi Arabia, Spain and Cape Verde. England also gain a strong measure of progress ahead of meeting Japan.