Our prediction for this World Cup 2026 match:
Venezuela
Match Time & Date:
11/09/2024
00:00
Prediction: 1-0
Uruguay
Estadio Monumental de Maturin will be the centre of attention when Venezuela and Uruguay square off against each other in a highly-anticipated World Cup qualifier. Venezuela are enjoying a successful qualifying campaign, but they experienced all sorts of problems at the back in a 4-0 loss to Bolivia at the weekend. Pacey winger Yeferson Soteldo is widely expected to return to the starting XI, with Darwin Machis pushing for a start as well.
La Celeste, on the other hand, continue life without Luis Suarez, who has retired from international football, while Liverpool ace Darwin Nunez has yet to serve his ban. As Venezuela have been producing fine displays at home ground in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, home win should be considered. In their last meeting in a competitive match Uruguay crushed Venezuela 4-1, meaning that the hosts are hungry for revenge.
Highlighted Player (Jose Salomon Rondon):
Over the years Jose Solomon Rondon has established himself as one of the best South American attackers. The Venezuelan striker was born in Caracas on September 16, 1989 and he played for San Jose de Calasanz at the start of his youth career. He played for the youth teams of Deportivo Guilima and Aragua as well and he continued playing for Aragua at senior level.
After scoring 15 goals in 15 appearances for the club, Salomon Rondon moved to Spain in 2008, signing a deal with La liga side Las Palmas and two years later he moved to fellow Spanish outfit Malaga. The left-footed forward scored 25 goals in 67 appearances in La Liga for los Boquerones, but in the summer of 2012 he moved to Russian club Rubin Kazan.
Despite failing to impress in 36 appearances for the Tatars, Zenit chiefs decided to bring Rondon to Sankt Petersburg in 2014 and it has to be noted that the Venezuela international scored 20 goals in 37 appearances in the Russian Premier League for the Zenitchiki. Salomon Rondon, who made his Venezuela debut in February 2008 against Haiti, currently plays for West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League.
Highlighted Team (Uruguay):
La Celeste are one of the most successful South American nations. Uruguay are frequently the champions of the continent having most recently won the tournament in 2011. They have won the Copa America a record 15 times including the first ever edition of the competition in 1916, while the team has also won FIFA World Cup in two occasions including the inaugural competition in 1930 when they defeated Argentina 4-2 in the final as hosts.
Their second World Cup title came in 1950 when Uruguay and Brazil played a legendary match which recorded a higher attendance than any other football match in the history of the game. Uruguay is the smallest country in the world to have won a World Cup by population, but La Celeste are proud of their football heritage which yielded some of the best footballers in the world over the course of history.
Most notable player of the current selection is Barcelona striker Luis Suarez, who is also the team’s top scorer with 45 goals to his name.
