Zalazar has just joined Sporting, but a rare stat has Uruguay buzzing | OneFootball

The inclusion of Rodrigo Zalazar in Uruguay’s squad for the final stage of the 2026 World Cup is attracting attention in the local press, given that the 26-year-old midfielder has never played in the Uruguayan league.

Zalazar is only the second footballer born on the European continent to feature in a World Cup final stage for La Celeste.

The player - recently signed by Sporting from Braga for 30 million euros - was born in Spain, at a time when his father, former international José Luiz Zalazar, was playing for the club from the city of Albacete.

The only player in similar circumstances was Ernesto Patrullero Vidal, a winger who was part of the squad at the 1950 World Cup in Brazil. In that edition, Uruguay achieved the greatest feat in its football history by defeating Brazil in the final, in the famous Maracanazo.

Even so, the Zalazar family has a strong presence in Uruguayan football. In addition to José Luiz, Rodrigo’s brothers, Kuki and Mauro, are also professional footballers: the former plays for Spanish side Ceuta and the latter is part of Braga’s under-23 team. It is worth noting that among Marcelo Bielsa’s picks is another representative of the Sporting world, Maxi Araújo.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.