2012 Olympics

Luis Suarez may not be the most popular footballer in the world but you are going to see a lot of him at the Olympics this summer.

We really don’t want to reopen the Patrice Evra/Luis Suarez row again but we think it is safe to say that a lot of people are not exactly big fans of the Liverpool striker. Opinions. Your own. Entitled. Etc...

Regardless of what we think, the Reds striker is a big deal in his home country so not only has he been called into the Uruguayan Olympic football squad, he is also going to carry their flag at the opening ceremony, according to reports.

Once the opening festivities are out of the way the other reason you will see a lot of Suarez is because Uruguay are in the same group as Great Britain so we know that we will definitely see that game easily. Uruguay’s other two games, against Senegal and the United Arab Emirates, might require a bit of ‘red button’ action to view.

With two getting out of each group, we expect Uruguay to have at least four games this summer, maybe more.

Anyway, aside from the Liverpool striker, the Uruguay team looks like a tasty side. Suarez’ Liverpool team-mate Sebastian Coates is included, as is fantastic Napoli striker Edinson Cavani. Palermo's Egidio Arevalo Rios joins Suarez and Cavani as the over 23s in the 18-man squad while you might also recognize Ajax midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro and Palermo’s Abel Hernandez.

It looks a formidable side, certainly more formidable than Team GB. And while Stuart Pearce will lead out the home side in London, Oscar Tabarez, Uruguay’s national coach is also managing their Olympic team. He is the man who has led them to third in the Fifa rankings, and last year’s Copa America title, in case you had forgotten.

With Spain and Brazil also sending really strong teams, this year’s Olympic football tournament should be the best ever.

Goalkeepers: Martin Campana (Cerro Largo), Leandro Gelpi (Penarol)

Defenders: Sebastian Coates (Liverpool/ENG), Diego Polenta (Genoa/ITA), Ramon Arias (Defensor Sporting), Alexis Rolin (Nacional), Emiliano Albin (Penarol).

Midfielders: Egidio Arevalo Rios (Palermo/ITA), Nicolas Lodeiro (Ajax/NED), Matias Aguirregaray (Palermo/ITA), Gaston Ramirez (Bologna/ITA), Maximiliano Calzada (Nacional), Diego Rodriguez (Defensor Sporting)

Forwards: Luis Suarez (Liverpool/ENG), Edinson Cavani (Napoli/ITA), Abel Hernandez (Palermo/ITA), Jonathan Urretaviscaya (Vitoria Guimaraes/POR), Tabare Viudez (Nacional)