The Uruguayan Football Association must be ruing the day the team's plane to Florida was grounded by paperwork issues. The squad, led by the mercurial Marcelo Bielsa, were supposed to arrive in Miami on Sunday afternoon, full of fire and ready for their World Cup opener against Saudi Arabia at Miami Stadium. But it seems their momentum was halted – quite literally.
Delays on the ground saw Uruguay's team hit with a series of setbacks, forcing them into an unwanted game of catch-up. The original aircraft had to be scrapped, replaced by another flight that still managed to run late. With just hours to go before their pre-match press conference at Miami Stadium, it was starting to feel like a dodgy penalty – a trip to the World Cup about to turn sour.
Manager Bielsa downplayed the problems, claiming 'the flight caused no problems', but his captain José María Giménez offered a more candid assessment. 'It was difficult,' he said, understating the chaos that had unfolded. Behind the scenes, officials were less diplomatic, fuming about the logistical shambles.
This one is huge for Saudi Arabia – and not just because of their stunning win over Argentina in 2022's tournament. They'll be hoping to pull off another shock result against a team with two World Cup titles under their belt. The pressure will be on them, but they've got the hunger to make history all over again.
Uruguay, those proud South Americans, have a rich history at the World Cup – including two triumphs in 1930 and 1950. They've been regulars in recent tournaments too, making it to the semi-finals in 2010. Will they do what they usually do and leave an indelible mark on this tournament? Under Bielsa's guidance, you wouldn't put anything past them.