Ronald Araujo, Federico Valverde, Santiago Mouriño, or Facundo Pellistri are four important players born and raised in Uruguayan football who have ended up at top-level European clubs. Sebastián Boselli, Alan Matturro, or Facundo González are the latest examples of what Uruguayan football means for global scouting: a guaranteed source of talent for the top level.
Many Uruguayan talents convey a competitive guarantee that does not correspond to the level of their league, leading to the belief that scouting games and finding great talent in Uruguay is a very well-spent time, whether through video or data. They don't require prior development in an intermediate league, as is the case with countries in their surroundings, such as Peru, Chile, or Colombia.
In our database, some players worth closely following are already listed. In this text, we will highlight some, but not all, of the most interesting ones.
Luciano Rodríguez – Liverpool – €4.5 million market value – GBE: YES
There is little doubt that Luciano Rodríguez is not only the best player in Uruguay (with the highest market value) but also that his stay in the country has an early expiration date. Present at the Pre-Olympics, Luciano has already demonstrated his potential and could soon leave for a significant amount of money. A winger who combines dribbling, power, shooting, and goal-scoring ability. Very complete, with physical strength to grow football-wise in the future.
Nicolas Siri – Montevideo City Torque – €1 million market value – GBE: NO
In our Expected Goals model, Nicolas Siri (10 goals in his last 46 shots) stands out as the most efficient shooter in Uruguayan football in the Clausura 2023. A forward with great power and aggressiveness, a long stride, and decisive in clashes, he has good ball control starting from a distance. A potential top player acquired by City Group from Danubio. A classic Uruguayan player combining physicality and competitiveness.
Ilhojan Perez – River Plate Montevideo – €175k market value – GBE: NO
Ilhojan is one of the great hopes of Uruguayan football. His experience at the top level is still limited due to his age, but he is destined to be a truly special talent. Belonging to River Plate.
Mateo Antoni – Club Nacional – €750k market value – GBE: NO
Among the most interesting center-backs is Mateo Antoni, who excels in many statistics. Left-footed, strong in aerial duels despite not being particularly tall, with very good effectiveness in clearances and duel percentages. At 20 years old, he is among the best talents in the country in our database in terms of performance and consistency.
Anderson Duarte – Defensor Sporting – €2.5 million market value – GBE: NO
Present in the Uruguay U-20 team that reached the final of the last World Cup in that category, he provided the pass to the final and has shown great superiority in the Uruguayan championship through dribbling and shooting. He may not be a physically imposing player, perhaps not yet ready for major European leagues, but his time in Uruguay is running out, as indicated by all performance maps and data.
