MONTEVIDEO, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde and Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo were among 28 players named in Uruguay's squad on Monday for friendlies against England and Algeria.
The squad also includes Atletico Madrid defender Jose Maria Gimenez, Flamengo midfielder Giorgian de Arrascaeta and Al-Hilal striker Darwin Nunez.
Manager Marcelo Bielsa recalled veteran goalkeeper Fernando Muslera, who has not played for his country since June 2022.
The 39-year-old Estudiantes player, who has been capped 133 times since his international debut in 2009, is hoping to join a select group of players to appear in five editions of football's showpiece tournament.
Uruguay will play England at Wembley on March 27 and Algeria in Turin four days later.
The matches will provide the last chance for Bielsa to test his players before finalizing his squad for the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Uruguay will begin its campaign against Saudi Arabia in Group H on June 15.
Uruguay squad:
Goalkeepers: Santiago Mele, Fernando Muslera and Sergio Rochet.
Defenders: Jose Luis Rodriguez, Guillermo Varela, Sebastian Caceres, Ronald Araujo, Jose Maria Gimenez, Santiago Bueno, Mathias Olivera, Matias Vina and Joaquin Piquerez.
Midfielders: Juan Manuel Sanabria, Manuel Ugarte, Emiliano Martinez, Giorgian de Arrascaeta, Facundo Torres, Facundo Pellistri, Maximiliano Araujo, Nicolas de la Cruz, Brian Rodriguez, Agustin Canobbio, Nicolas Fonseca and Federico Valverde.
Forwards: Agustin Alvarez Martinez, Rodrigo Aguirre, Darwin Nunez and Federico Vinas. ■
