Uruguay are determined to prove that the four stars on their crest correspond to four World titles won.
Puma, sponsors of the Uruguay national teams, communicated on Tuesday to the Uruguay Football Association (AUF) that FIFA had told them to remove two of the four stars above Uruguay’s crest in time for the 2022 World Cup.
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The demand was made after Puma presented the design of the Uruguay shirt to a FIFA commission, but football’s world governing body has yet to notify the AUF.
Two of the stars correspond to the Olympic gold medals won by Uruguay in Paris in 1924 and in Amsterdam four years later that were considered world championships at the time.
Uruguay won the inaugural World Cup they hosted in 1930 and lifted the trophy again 20 years later when they stunned Brazil, 2-1, at the Maracana.
AUF said they were surprised that FIFA is now questioning their football heritage and reiterate that their position “is very clear.”
“FIFA has always recognised, even publicly, that Uruguay has four World Cups because in 1924 and 1928 it [the Olympic football tournament] was organised by FIFA and it’s in 1930 when they decided to do the championships independently,” AUF vice president Gaston Tealdi said.
AUF are preparing documents to prove the validity of those stars.
“It’s an opportunity to regularise the situation and if this has to give rise to an express acknowledgement, it is welcomed,” Tealdi said.
