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Affiliated to FIFA: 1923

FIFA Ranking: 20

WC Best: Winners 1930, 50

He wisely decided that Uruguay wouldn’t make their mark on the world stage unless he put some long-term plans into action – and scouted the streets of Montevideo for some talented teenagers before sending a squad off to the 1997 World Youth Cup in Malaysia.

Youngsters to emerge from phase one Alejandro Lembo, Pablo Garcia (Venezia), flying left-sided forward Mario Regueiro (Racing Santander) and attacking midfielder Nico Olivera (Sevilla).

But he wasn’t finished there. Two years later, his World Youth Cup squad spawned some more young talent – with Fabian Carini, Gonzalo Sorondo and Javier Chevanton all snapped up by some of Serie A’s top clubs.

Blooding this second phase of youngsters in the 1999 Copa America tournament has now finally paid off. Replacing Daniel Passarella halfway through the qualifying campaign, Pua was able to finish the job off in the play-offs. His side booked their place in the World Cup Finals for the first time in twelve years, turning around a 1-0 first-leg deficit as Australia fell at the final hurdle again.

In defence, the experienced Washington Tais has surprisingly been dropped after playing a key role during qualification, so Nacional hard-man Gustavo Medez will getthe nod at right-back.Penarol’s Octavio Dario Rodriguez - a target for Leeds United - is the first choice at left-back.

Uncompromising Juventus stopper Paolo Montero will be a stern obstacle for opposing frontmen to negotiate, and his partnership with Parma’s Alejandro Lembo will certainly be put to the test against France. Inter Milan centre-back Gustavo Sorondo provides more than adequate cover.

Pua is likely to opt for a diamond formation in midfield, with Pablo Garcia playing an important role in front of the back four. Roma’s Gianni Guigou should be selected on the right, with Santander’s speedy winger Mario Regueiro providing plenty of zip down the left.

But the key to Uruguay’s success will be Alvaro Recoba (see below). The playmaker fits in just behind the front two - usually the experienced Dario Silva and the diminutive Nicolas Olivera - although Pua has a wealth of alternatives at his disposal.

Silva struggled to settle in Serie A with Cagliari, but has since looked much more at home with Malaga, who he joined in 1999. But a falling-out with the new national team boss may have harmed his chances of appearing at the finals. It started when the press accused Silva of making late-night fishing trips while he was away with the national team, and of renting a house and filling it with call-girls.

These have since been falsified, but it seems the journalist at the centre of the furore is a close friend of Pua’s, and Silva even suspected the manager had made the stories up himself.

Olivera is a 10-stone, 5’5” livewire of a striker who top scored for Sevilla this season, attracting more than a passing interest from Paris St-Germain.

Alternatives include Sebastian Abreu, who was revitalised by a loan spell from Deportivo La Coruna to Cruz Azul,to become the top scorer in Mexico this season, Venezia’s Fernando Magallanes, and Nacional striker Richard Morales.

Morales is one of the few home-based players in the squad, and scored two vital late goals against Australia in the second leg of the play-off. Only time will tell if those efforts have pushed him further up the pecking order.

Despite his lack of success in front of the net, Manchester United’s Diego Forlan is now a high-profile member of the squad, but there's no room for Lecce hotshot Javier Chevanton, who burst onto the Serie A scene scoring four goals in his first five games this season.

Inter Milan’s loss was definitely Uruguay’s gain. While sitting out that four-month-ban – that had been reduced from 12 on appeal – the talismanic playmaker was still available to play in Uruguay’s World Cup qualifying matches, and turned in a catalogue of stunning displays.

Signed by Inter in 1997 after averaging over a goal a game in his time at top Uruguayan side Nacional, Recoba had shrugged off a loan spell at Venezia to reclaim his place in the Inter first team, before the passport scandal came to light.

But now his country have clawed their way into the Finals, and with his place in Inter’s first team now secured, the next step will be to leave an indelible mark on this summer’s competition.

He constantly plays down comparisons with the legendary Enzo Francescoli - arguably the nation’s greatest post-war player - but the travelling South American fans genuinely believe he is that good. The rest of the world will have made their mind up by the end of June.