The Art of Central Solidity

A nation driven by a fighting spirit, inspired to put their lives on the line for victory. None do it like Uruguay. The national psyche of ‘Garra Charrúa’ portrays Uruguay as the perennial underdog in a near-impossible fight against others, seeking to achieve the impossible, a concept taken from the nation’s stoic resistance to defend their territory against the bigger and more powerful Spanish forces.

“Garras” means claws, and “Charrúa” refers to the indigenous people who lived in the territory that is now Uruguay, hence the moniker ‘Claw of the Charrúa.’ It is a nickname given to the Uruguayan national football team, inspired by the fierce and warrior-like nature of the Charrúa people. Having put up a resilient albeit unsuccessful fight against Spanish invaders, this tribe was known for their courage, strength, and tenacity, all of which are qualities that are often associated with Uruguayan football.

This nickname has become a symbol of the team’s fighting spirit and never-say-die attitude, both on and off the pitch, and it has become synonymous with several of the nation’s up-and-coming footballers, including Sporting CP’s 21-year-old central midfielder Manuel Ugarte.

Born on April 11, 2001, in Montevideo, Uruguay, Ugarte started his development at local club City Park before moving to Fénix, making his professional debut at 15 years and 233 days and becoming the youngest player in the 21st century to play professionally in Uruguay’s top-flight. Ugarte left for Portugal at 19 years of age and quickly became a regular in midfield for Famalicão, who went from hovering above the relegation zone to fighting for Europe.

Ugarte would last just seven months at Famalicão before heading to Sporting in the summer of 2021, with the Uruguayan quickly staking a claim to a starting spot and filling in for the injured João Palhinha, racking up 25 league appearances. Following the departures of Palhinha and Matheus Nunes, Ugarte has emerged as a vital cog in the center of the pitch for Rúben Amorim’s side this season and made a case for himself as one of the finest midfielders in Portugal.

The 21-year-old midfielder has shown great potential since joining the club, impressing fans and critics alike with his technical skills, work rate, and versatility on the pitch. Ugarte is generally deployed as a holding midfielder and is highly aggressive and tenacious. He also has a great technical ability to thrive in all phases of the pitch.

This heatmap from SofaScore shows how all action the midfielder really is. A player to get around the pitch driven with a big engine. Defensively, Ugarte is making a very big name for himself. As for any Uruguayan midfielder, such as ‘Federico Valverde’, or ‘Rodrigo Bentancur’, ask them if they love tackling and more than likely their faces will light up. Manuel Ugarte is certainly no different.

This is an extract from his defensive stats for the 22-23 Primeira Liga season. As we can see Ugarte is a defensive monster not afraid to stick his leg in a challenge and win the ball. Ugarte wins more tackles than anyone in the league and also ranks the highest for tackling any dribblers. This makes him a vital asset to have in the middle of the pitch as a 6 or even as an 8. He doesn’t go to ground a lot and usually will fend off a player with a shoulder nudge. Ugarte only goes to ground when necessary.

Ugarte is helped by his big engine. When watching him, you will see the willingness and tenacity to get back and make a challenge or recover the ball, even if he is nowhere near the player at first. A likeness to this type of resilient running and tackling is N’Golo Kante. He will recover if his team is at risk of suffering a quick transition, and also aggressively press any opposing player, in order to win the ball back and sustain pressure in the middle or final third of the pitch.

These stats also show his ability to press higher up the pitch and win the ball if needed. This is a brilliant addition to have in a central area when a coach wants his team to pin the opposition back and create a physical or numerical superiority if instructed to do so. As we can see, he is a player who is not bothered to get involved in duels, wherever they are on the pitch.

This snippet from SofaScore shows his willingness to get involved, and not be afraid to ride challenges when they come. Ugarte wins more than half his duels, a number which is extraordinary when considering how many he challenges for per 90. 

An industrious performance from Ugarte to help Sporting past the Premier League leaders… pic.twitter.com/YBMlEtLJwz

— Warriors of Uruguay (@UruguayanHeroes) March 17, 2023