Manager: Oscar Tabarez

Key player: Diego Forlan

Best: Winners (1930, 1950)

World ranking: 19

Two-time world champions Uruguay clinched the 32nd and final place in South Africa with a 2-1 aggregate victory over Costa Rica via the play-offs. Oscar Tabarez's men will reflect on their priceless 1-0 victory in San Jose in the first leg, which meant all they needed was to avoid defeat in Montevideo in the second leg. They took the lead through Sebastian Abreu and although Walter Centeno equalised for Costa Rica, the visitors failed to level the tie. In the South American qualifying group, Uruguay were the epitome of inconsistency - winning six, drawing six and losing six. Of all the teams who qualified from the group, Uruguay beat only Paraguay.

Uruguay possess some talented players who regularly do the business for their club sides but have rarely produced on the international stage. Case in point is Atletico Madrid striker Diego Forlan whose goalscoring record is hugely impressive in La Liga but his international form less so. However, if their big guns can fire they may well overcome what has become a crippling inability to perform on the biggest stage.