Uruguay vs Ivory Coast
Fans in the north of France have a treat in store on Tuesday when World Cup hopefuls Uruguay and the Ivory Coast come together for a friendly clash in the city of Lens.
It’s a chance to see two strong football nations from afar, and this fixture, International Friendly: Uruguay vs Ivory Coast, is a fascinating prospect which brings together two football nations in very good shape.
Ivory Coast come into the game on the back of a 2-2 draw with Benin, as Max Gradel and Oumar Diakite scored an equaliser each, while Uruguay have had a break since their 3-0 World Cup qualifying win over Bolivia in November.
Both teams have made a strong start to their World Cup campaigns, and while the International Friendly 2024 betting odds reckon the South Americans will be too strong for the African nation on Tuesday, this match is by no means a one-sided affair, so let’s take a closer look and pick the players who can make a difference.
Talking Points
Uruguay’s star quality
La Celeste has made a superb start to their World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign, sitting in second place in the CONMEBOL table with 13 points from six games and just two behind leaders Argentina. Uruguay head coach Marcelo Bielsa, a former boss at Leeds United, has some world-class operators in his team, and fans in Lens will hope to see some big names on Tuesday.
Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde is coming into his prime at 25 years of age, and he has hit top form over the past couple of years. He can play as an attacking midfielder or a right winger, and Valverde was Uruguay’s most eye-catching player at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
With 55 caps for Uruguay and over 150 games for Los Blancos, this is a player very comfortable on the world stage; he’s quick in mind and foot, loves to run at defenders, and he’s tough in the tackle—a Uruguayan through and through.
Sitting deeper is Spurs star Rodrigo Bentancur, who is the perfect box-to-box midfielder; he is equally comfortable at the back or the front of a diamond and can dictate the pace of play with his ease on the ball and superb distribution.
His return to fitness has strengthened Tottenham’s top-four push, and Bentancur will be a key player in La Celeste’s World Cup campaign. And then there is Barcelona’s Ronald Araujo, who can operate at right back or centre back. A Blaugrana Academy graduate, Araujo is a modern defender who has bags of pace and can run with the ball or distribute like a midfielder.
If these three all make an appearance, the French fans are in for a treat, but life may be difficult for the Ivory Coast.
Fae’s Elephants are on the march
Head coach Emerse Fae is an Ivory Coast legend, with 41 caps for the Elephants, and he took over as senior boss at the start of AFCON and led the nation to its first trophy in eight years. And they have made a great start to their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, topping the African Group F with two wins from two.
Ivory Coast are likely to be on the back foot for much of this game, and Roma defender Evan Ndicka will have a big part to play. In front of him, Franck Kessie, now at Al Ahli, will relish his battle with Bentancur, while Nottingham Forest defensive midfielder Ibrahim Sangare might get the call from Fae.
His club is in the Premier League relegation zone after they were docked four points for financial breaches, and Sangare will have a big part to play as they try to scrape together enough points to survive. He can provide protection for the Elephant’s defence too so, while he wasn’t used in the draw with Benin, Sangare could appear in Lens.
One player Arsenal fans will hope to see making some International Friendly 2024 highlights is their former striker Nicolas Pepe, now at Trabzonspor. If the Elephants’ defence can cope with Uruguay, then Pepe will be a good outlet and an attacking threat.
History
Twice World Cup winners and 15 times Copa America champions, Uruguay have a rich history at the top table of world football. And, of course, the Ivory Coast are the reigning AFCON champions, having won the tournament for the third time this year on home soil as Borussia Dortmund striker Sebastien Haller scored the winner in a tense final against Nigeria.
The two teams can’t be split in terms of recent form, each with three wins and two draws from the last five games.
Betting Tip
The Ivory Coast are well in this game at SBOTOP odds of 3.30, and the draw is at 3.45, but La Celeste are 40 places higher than the Elephants in the FIFA World Rankings, placed 13th and 53rd, and I suspect the extra quality in the Uruguay squad will see them through.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT))
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
