India vs Uruguay: A final test awaits Jamil’s new-look side against two-time world champion in Kolkata

For Indian head coach Jamil, this will be a test of his old (defensive) and new (attacking) self, as he hopes to find the perfect balance to make the most of it against a depleted South American heavyweight.

Updated : Oct 05, 2026 22:18 IST , Kolkata - 4 MINS READ

An experimental Uruguay side will be the perfect opportunity for Khalid Jamil and his wards to show that they were saving the best for last. | Photo Credit: K.R. DEEPAK

India is more than halfway into its high-profile international window. Two World Cup-playing nations, Panama and heavyweight Brazil, have returned home after tense games against the Blue Tigers, but another world champion awaits.

Uruguay, the inaugural winner of the World Cup, will face India in their final friendly at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Tuesday, returning to the city after four decades.

For La Celeste, this window marks the beginning of a new era under coach Diego Forlan after Marcelo Bielsa stepped down, following their ignominious group-stage exit from the 2026 World Cup.

The team, travelling without midfield talisman Federico Valverde and Giorgian de Arrascaeta due to injury, is in a phase of transition, missing veterans like Fernando Muslera, Diego Godin, Luis Suarez, and Edinson Cavani.

Forlan, who is also coaching the Under-20 side, will thus seek to identify and nurture leaders in this tour, like the comrades he once played alongside to finish fourth in the 2010 World Cup.

The team was seen practising overlaps, set-pieces and two-player combinations in the box on the eve of the match – the strategy that earned it three of its four goals in a 4-2 win over South Korea in its previous match.

On the other hand, an experimental Uruguay side will be the perfect opportunity for Khalid Jamil and his wards to show that they were saving the best for last. India has shown attacking promise throughout this window and has looked like a different side altogether from the one that played about a year ago, losing to lower-ranked Bangladesh in an Asian Cup qualifier.

Uruguay was seen practising overlaps, set-pieces and two-player combinations in the box on the eve of its match against India. | Photo Credit: K.R. DEEPAK

Ryan Williams, India’s lone goal scorer in the last two matches, will continue leading the attack alongside Manvir Singh, while Jamil could switch his options in goal after Gurpreet Singh Sandhu’s mistakes let in two goals in the previous game.

With Arrascaeta and Valverde out, the Indian double pivot of Anirudh Thapa and Lalengmawia Ralte will still have their task cut out for them: contain Rodrigo Bentancur’s influence. Moreover, they will have to be cautious not to play too high a line, as Uruguay can make a team pay on the counter, especially Guillermo Varela, who assisted and almost scored against Korea.

The Flamengo full-back, who has three assists and a goal for his club this season, was seen having long conversations with Forlan before he practised quick shooting after receiving crosses. The left channel will thus have added responsibility on the shoulders of Akash Mishra and Ashique Kuruniyan to limit the danger.

Mistakes from Anwar Ali and Bijoy Varghese led to two goals by Brazil, and with Darwin Nunez expected to lurk around the box for Uruguay, the centre-backs will look to put their Brazil mistakes behind them to come good this time around.

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The match is also expected to be a more physical contest than India’s match against Brazil, which could see India resort to one-touch passes to break the press. The Blue Tigers will also take heart from Uruguay’s penchant for letting in late goals. In the last two matches, three of the four goals it conceded came after the 79th minute, which could see East Bengal’s in-form striker Edmund Lalrindika injected late into attack. The 27-year-old failed to impress in his 31-minute appearance against Brazil and will hope to earn Jamil’s trust before it is too late.

The last time Uruguay played in Kolkata was in the 1982 Nehru Cup, coming after a 2-2 draw against South Korea. Two youngsters – Jorge da Silva (20) and Mario Saralegui (22) scored three goals against India before guiding Uruguay to the round of 16 of the World Cup four years later.

With La Celeste looking for light at the end of the tunnel after a group-stage exit in the World Cup, Forlan would hope he could find some alchemy to kick-start the new cycle on a positive note.

For Jamil, this will be a test of his old (defensive) and new (attacking) self, as he hopes to find the perfect balance to make the most of it against a depleted South American heavyweight.