Uruguay: Football’s First Global Power, 1918-1930

by Martin da Cruz

Football’s First Global Power, 1918–1930 tells the extraordinary story of how a small South American nation reshaped the global game and became football’s first true superpower.

Drawing on rare archival material from Montevideo, historian Martin da Cruz reconstructs Uruguay’s rise from regional innovators to global champions, culminating in their victory at the inaugural FIFA World Cup in 1930.

- Traces the rise of La Celeste from regional innovators to global champions, changing how football was played and understood
- Explores Uruguay’s explosive impact at the 1924 Paris Olympics, where their revolutionary style stunned Europe and redefined the sport
- Covers back-to-back Olympic triumphs in 1924 and 1928, alongside celebrated tours of Europe and North America
- Profiles iconic figures such as José Nasazzi, José Leandro Andrade and Héctor Scarone, whose intelligence, skill and athleticism set new international standards
- Recreates the drama of the 1930 FIFA World Cup in Montevideo, won amid political tension, construction crises and European boycotts
- Examines the cultural, social and sporting forces that shaped one of football’s most influential generations

A richly researched and vivid account of football’s formative years – essential reading for anyone interested in the history of the World Cup, South American football or the origins of the modern game.

352 pages, Hardcover

Published June 8, 2026

Reviews

[Kacper]

Pre-read: thank you so much, the 1st part was amazing. I expect a 3rd part 1954-1990 something like that!

One of the best coach in our history Andrzej Strejlau coach in Uruguay at the end of the 20th century but i can’t found which team!!! If you have the answer tell me please! I would be happy!!!

[Andrés da Silveira Stein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I Beta Read this book, and made minor suggestions that do not alter the content’s essence, and this is an unbiased review. (As unbiased as a football book review about your home country can be XD )

Uruguay: Football's First Global Power is first and foremost a book about a nation’s love for football. And how that love became an obsession. And then how that obsession became the fuel for world domination (in football terms).

First I have to highlight the brilliantly captivating style Martín brings to this book. It's both historically accurate, but also very amenable to read, because he makes said history a lived thing, very human and very grounded.

He takes us on a 12 year journey where Uruguay cements its status as a global superpower in the early days of football. And said status also helped strengthen football’s image, especially in Europe after winning the 1924 and 1928 Olympic Football Championships with a style unlike anything Europeans have seen before, and with players whose skills left the Old Continent denizens bedazzled.

It’s also a book that tells us the small stories of these incredible players, of the first black players to set the world alight, of those who fought against their own National Associations to bring changes about. It’s the stories about those in suits who had a vision for football and for Uruguay.
One of the aspects I enjoyed the most is the way he handles the eternal rivalry with Argentina. How that rivalry caused an effect where steel sharpened steel and both nations got better and better through it. And how sometimes said rivalry went out of hand to the point blood was spilled. A typical sibling rivalry.

Martín’s book is thoroughly researched, with letters and journals from those days taken directly from Uruguay’s National Library, or from direct sources, like the Uruguayan Clubs histories or their museums.

This was enjoyable from start to finish, whether you’re a history lover, a football aficionado or a rabid fan.
4.6⭐️