Uruguay 2010
Uruguay at South Africa 2010 produced one of the most thrilling and controversial World Cup campaigns in modern history. Diego Forlán, who won the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player, led La Celeste with a series of stunning goals. In the quarter-final against Ghana, one of the most dramatic matches ever played, the game went to extra time. In the dying seconds, with the score at 1-1, Luis Suárez deliberately handled the ball on the line to prevent a certain goal he was sent off, but Asamoah Gyan struck the penalty against the crossbar. Uruguay won the shootout and advanced. The semi-final against Netherlands ended 3-2 in defeat, with Forlán scoring a magnificent long-range equaliser before the Dutch prevailed. Uruguay's campaign equal parts brilliance, controversy, and heartbreak reminded the world that La Celeste's fighting spirit is eternal.