Darwin Núñez — Uruguay World Cup 2026 Squad

Career Highlights

Darwin Núñez has been Uruguay's primary striker since his breakout season at Benfica in 2020-21, where he scored 14 goals in 24 Primeira Liga appearances and attracted the attention of Liverpool. He won the Primeira Liga and reached the Champions League quarter-finals with Benfica before his high-profile transfer. At international level, he was part of Uruguay's 2022 World Cup squad and has scored 22 goals in 62 caps, forming a potent front line alongside Luis Suárez and Edinson Cavani during the generational transition. His move to Al-Hilal in 2025 marked a new chapter after three tumultuous seasons at Liverpool.

Club Career

Núñez began his career at Peñarol in Uruguay before moving to Almería in Spain's Segunda División, where his goal-scoring rate earned him a transfer to Benfica in 2020. In Lisbon, he became one of Europe's most sought-after strikers, scoring 48 goals in 84 appearances across two seasons. Liverpool paid a reported €75 million including add-ons to sign him in 2022, but his time at Anfield was defined by inconsistency. He scored important goals, including Champions League strikes against Real Madrid and Napoli, but his finishing was often erratic and he struggled to displace Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota from the starting lineup under Arne Slot. A move to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia offered a fresh start and a leading-role guarantee.

International Career & World Cup History

Núñez debuted for Uruguay in 2019 and quickly became a regular under Diego Alonso and then Marcelo Bielsa. At the 2022 World Cup, he started all three group matches as Uruguay drew two and beat Ghana but failed to advance on goal difference. He has scored 22 goals in 62 caps, including crucial qualifying strikes against Colombia and Chile. Under Bielsa's demanding system, Núñez has been asked to press relentlessly from the front, a role his energy suits even when his finishing wavers. He has inherited the number nine shirt from Suárez and carries the weight of expectation that comes with it.

World Cup 2026 Outlook

Núñez will be 27 during the 2026 World Cup, entering what should be his peak years. If Uruguay navigate CONMEBOL qualifying, which is always among the most demanding paths, he will be the focal point of their attack. His pace, power, and willingness to run in behind defences suit tournament football, where space opens up as opponents tire. The key question remains his finishing: if he can add composure to his chaos, he has the profile to be one of the tournament's standout strikers. Uruguay's deep squad, including Federico Valverde and Ronald Araújo, would give him the platform to thrive.