Sporting's €80m problem is Maxi Araújo: history already made | OneFootball

Maxi Araújo continues to shine at the 2026 World Cup and is already writing his name into Uruguayan football history. Despite the difficulties faced by Marcelo Bielsa’s side, who have managed only two draws in the opening group-stage matches, the Sporting player has been one of the standout performers of the tournament.

The Sporting winger once again stood out against Cape Verde, having already made his mark in the opening match against Saudi Arabia. In total, Maxi has two goals and one assist in Uruguay’s first two matches, numbers that place him in a category reserved for only a few names in the history of the South American national team.

To find a Uruguayan with similar numbers at the start of a World Cup, you have to go back to 1954. It has been 72 years since a celeste player managed two goals and one assist in the first two matches of the tournament. The last to achieve that feat was Julio Abbadie, a record that stood through several generations of Uruguayan stars.

Not even names like Luis Suárez, Edinson Cavani or Diego Forlán managed to reach a similar mark in World Cup final tournaments. Maxi Araújo therefore joins a very select group and further strengthens his status as one of the key figures in Marcelo Bielsa’s team.

The performances of the Uruguayan international are also having a direct impact on Sporting. The player continues to increase his value on one of the biggest stages in world football and remains one of the most sought-after assets in Sporting’s squad. Chelsea remain particularly attentive to the development of the 26-year-old winger, although at Alvalade the intention is to hold on to one of the team’s main figures for next season.

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