Why are there so few Uruguayans in the Premier League?

For a long time, I have been trying to convince Uruguayans that the Premier League is an ideal league for us, obviously based on my personal experience, as after many years playing in Spain, I took the risk of playing in England, and it was a great experience.

We Uruguayans give it all on the pitch

English fans love players who give 100% in every match and kick every ball like it’s their last. They love players who show that they want to win every game, who put the club’s needs before their own, and wear the club’s colours with pride. All these characteristics define us as Uruguayans. If you add quality to it, then the conclusion is what I said before: the football in the Premier League is ideal for Uruguayan players.

Spain and Italy are seen as the more “comfortable” options

The problem is that for a Uruguayan player, it’s much easier to go to Spain or Italy. Not just because of the language, or the ease of learning Italian, but because of the way of life, which is also very similar. You could say that living in an English-speaking society instead of a ‘Latin’ society “worries” or “scares” us, as we are not used to it. If we also add in the fact that when someone learns English in Uruguay, the first thing we learn is about London’s wet and cold weather. Naturally, this makes Spain and Italy appeal much more to a Uruguayan than England. At the same time, it is proven that when we “are up for it” we show that the way we understand football is perfectly adapted to the English game. I really hope that Cavani plays a lot (and plays well) for Manchester United and also that Pellistri ends his wait and stays in Manchester for many years. I am convinced about this; I just hope that more Uruguayans opt for the Premier League!