Darwin Nunez had to temporarily leave Uruguay training as he dealt with an injury scare.
Nunez is not a guaranteed starter, such is the quality available to Uruguay, but he is a vital attacking weapon. He is competing with the likes of Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, two of the nation's stalwarts, for a starting role and will be hoping he shakes off an ankle issue.
The 23-year-old, who has 13 caps for his country, returned to training with the rest of the squad after receiving medical attention, according to the Uruguay newspaper El País. The South Americans made the last eight of the World Cup four years ago, beating Portugal en route, and Nunez wants to defy their underdog status in Qatar.
“We come here and we know that we’re not favourites, but we're going to fight,” he said. “Four years ago I watched the tournament on TV and now I’m here with all the beasts. This has only just begun. The first game is the first objective and South Korea are a strong team, they’re in the World Cup for a reason... everyone is strong, but so are we. We want to go far, our goal is to win the World Cup.”
The Liverpool forward, who has endured a mixed time since his club-record move to Anfield, is looking to be ready for his country's opening game against South Korea on November 24. They've also got games to come against Portugal and Ghana as they look to make the knockout stages.
Uruguay boss Diego Alonso has stressed that his side are eyeing a spot in the last four as he takes charge of his first World Cup. The coach, who played for his homeland and reached the Copa America final in 1999, is new to international management but has set his bar high.
How far will Uruguay go in the World Cup? Tell us what you think here.
Nunez finds himself in the Uruguay squad with Suarez, a man who left his mark on Anfield, and the forward has been offering his advice to his compatriot: “Nunez is now playing for Liverpool like I knew he would. He has exploded and I am sure there will be many goals and trophies for him there. I speak with him regularly. I want him to help him, for him to learn from my mistakes.”
Nunez scored on his Liverpool debut on the opening weekend against Fulham before he was sent-off in his first match at Anfield for a headbutt. That disrupted his rhythm and he's since copped criticism as he adapts to life on Merseyside, but has scored nine times in 18 games.
