Uruguay quintet honoured for contesting fourth World Cup, fitness concerns for Araujo

As a symbolic act of Uruguay's generational change, World Cup debutants Sergio Rochet (29), Ronald Araujo (23), Mathias Olivera (25), Federico Valverde (24) and Darwin Nunez (23), alongside AUF president Ignacio Alonso, presented a gift to acknowledge the leaders of the South American team.

"In this World Cup there are five members of this delegation who are reaching their fourth World Cup, which in the history of Uruguayan football only one player was able to achieve: Pedro Virgilio Rocha (in 1974)," Alonso said.

"These players are in full force, they have a lot of history to write and who knows if they don't break the record.

"They are going to receive recognition from five players who are making their debuts and who, God willing, will also have the opportunity to reach their record of four or five," he added.

Uruguay will begin their campaign against South Korea on Thursday before taking on Portugal and Ghana in Group H.

Barcelona worried over Araujo's fitness

Barcelona have expressed concerns about the fitness of their Uruguayan defender Araujo at the World Cup but they are not planning to send a report about the case to FIFA.

Araujo, a key player in his national team's defence, sustained a thigh injury during Uruguay's 1-0 defeat by Iran in a friendly in September.

Spanish media reported that Barcelona were prepared to outline their case to FIFA and a club source said two physiotherapists had travelled to Qatar with Araujo to work with Uruguay's medical staff.

"We keep in communication but we are worry about Araujo's recovery being accelerated... Still we are waiting for the opinion of our physiotherapists to be taken into account," the source said.

Uruguay coach Diego Alonso (47) talked about the possibility of Araujo playing in their opening World Cup Group H game against South Korea on Thursday.

"He's playing well everyday. His body will tell us when he's fit," Alonso told reporters on Wednesday.