Diego Forlán has unveiled Uruguay's new squad for the final FIFA window of the year. The interim manager has included six Liga MX players in a 42-man list for the friendly against Argentina on 13 November in Buenos Aires.

The Celeste arrive at this fixture after a tough start to the year, which featured a group-stage exit at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the subsequent departure of Marcelo Bielsa. Forlán is now looking to restore confidence with a renewed group. "The Uruguay National Team, which has Diego Forlán as its interim Technical Director, has released its new call-up for the last FIFA Date of this 2026, a year that was not very satisfactory for the Charrúas due to their poor participation in the FIFA World Cup 2026 in which they could not advance from the Group Stage," Forlán said.

Six call-ups from Mexico

The influence of Mexican football is notable in this squad. The called-up players are defender Santiago Bueno and winger Brian Rodríguez, both from América; full-back Federico Pereira and forward Federico Viñas, from Toluca; attacker Diego Rossi, from Monterrey; and forward Rodrigo Aguirre, from Tigres. Aguirre, in fact, was among the scorers in Uruguay's latest victory, a 6-1 win over India on 6 October, where Matías Araujo also netted twice.

That rout in New Delhi is part of a positive run of two consecutive wins, following the 4-1 victory over South Korea on 28 September. These results have helped lift spirits after the initial defeat to Japan (3-1) in September. The team is showing a potent attack, with Darwin Núñez and Giorgian de Arrascaeta key in the win over the South Koreans.

Barboza surprise

One of the most eye-catching names on the extensive list is defender Alexander Barboza. Born in Uruguay but holding an Argentine passport, the 31-year-old centre-back currently plays for Brazil's Palmeiras. Barboza built a successful career in Paraguay, where he played three seasons for Libertad, a club with which he won four league titles, one Copa Paraguay and one Supercopa Paraguay.

His inclusion in this "large list" is an opportunity for the coaching staff to evaluate him closely, although the final squad for the single match against Argentina will be trimmed. The encounter represents the ultimate challenge for a rebuilding group that wants to close 2026 with a strong performance against its classic rival.

With the November break as the last commitment of the year, Forlán and his staff will begin plotting the path towards future competitions. The fixture is set for Friday, 13 November at the Monumental stadium.

First reported at MARCA