Uruguay U20 Women

Argentina waits at the other end of every cycle Uruguay's under-20 women go through, the Clásico del Río de la Plata carrying the same weight it does for the men, and the age group has never had the depth to close that gap for long. What it has managed instead is presence: an entry in every South American U20 championship since the competition began in 2004, the year the side itself was formed under the Uruguayan Football Association.

The breakthrough came in Chile in 2022, a bronze medal that stands as the only podium finish the team has produced. Belén Aquino carried the attack that tournament, finishing as top scorer with ten goals, including a share of a 13–0 win over Bolivia that remains the heaviest result in the side's history. Sharon López wore the armband that year, and both she and Aquino have since moved up to the senior Celeste, the usual path for anyone who stands out at this level. Ariel Longo**, who doubled as senior-team coach at the time, took charge for that campaign before handing over to Daniel Pérez; **Marcel Rauss has held the post since 2024.

A World Cup place has never followed the bronze. The 2026 edition in Paraguay ended the same way recent tournaments have: a group-stage exit from Group A, one win and one draw against two defeats leaving no route into the Hexagonal final. Training still runs out of the Complejo Celeste in Montevideo, with the Estadio Charrúa and the Estadio Centenario hosting the fixtures that matter at home. For now the task is the one it has been since 2004 — get back past the group stage, and eventually past Argentina when it counts.