Omens bode well for Uruguay’s hopes of reaching final
Published:Uruguay have been one of the most significant movers in the Tournament Winner market, transforming from rank outsiders to 12/1 contenders.
They topped Group A ahead of Mexico, South Africa and France, and South Korea could do nothing to stop the in-form South Americans in the second round.
And when we consider World Cup history – and two omens in particular – Uruguay’s adventure seems more than likely to go beyond the quarter-finals.
Since 1978, every final has featured a side that has previously won the tournament. And since FIFA introduced their world rankings in 1993, the four World Cup finals have included a team ranked outside the world’s top 10.
Both omens bode well for Uruguay, who won the World Cup in 1930 and 1950, and are now ranked 16th in the world.
France were 18th in FIFA’s rankings when they lifted the Jules Rimet trophy in Paris 12 years ago, while Italy were 13th when they were crowned champions at the 2006 World Cup.
This year, Uruguay have been handed a relatively kind draw – they overcame South Korea in the round of 16, and next will be Ghana in the quarter-finals, who they are evens to beat.
Should they win against Ghana, Uruguay are likely to face fellow former World Cup winners Brazil in the semi-finals.
The other former world champions left in the draw are Argentina and Germany. A final between Uruguay and Argentina is priced at 10/1, while a showpiece event on July 11th featuring Germany and Uruguay is available at 14/1.
Uruguay will look to the last four World Cups as inspiration in South Africa, and as former World Cup winners and a team ranked outside FIFA’s top 10, history suggests that the South Americans stand an excellent chance of reaching the final.
Can Uruguay go all the way? They are 12/1 to win the World Cup. See the full Tournament Winner market.
