After 12 years in the wilderness, Uruguay returned to the World Cup their first appearance since 1974. Omar Borrás was the man tasked with guiding them back.
Uruguay's tournament was a mixed affair, with promising moments offset by results that ultimately cut their journey short. Goals proved hard to come by, with just 2 in 4 matches, and their lack of firepower ultimately told.
Uruguay endured a turbulent group stage, scraping through despite results going against them. In the knockout rounds, they were narrowly knocked out by Argentina in the Round of 16. The narrowest of defeats against Argentina ended what had been a promising tournament run.
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Winless throughout 1–6 vs Denmark.
Enzo Francescoli led Uruguay's attack with 1 goal at the 1986 World Cup. Shared the top-scorer honours with Alzamendi, both with 1.
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2 red cards across the tournament 4 cards in knockout matches.
The tactical mind behind Uruguay's 1986 campaign. Winless under Borrás leading Uruguay at his first World Cup.
Manager Omar Borrás led Uruguay with an emphasis on discipline and teamwork, but struggled to overcome the strengths of their opponents. The team's formation was often criticized for being overly defensive.
