Uruguay have always had a dark reputation for doing whatever it takes to win

Uruguay crashed out of the 2015 Copa America with their reputation dented
Star striker Edinson Cavani was sent off for two yellow card offences
They stained Mexico ’86 with their cynicism, scything and outright brutality
Scotland’s Gordon Strachan was the victim of Jose Batista’s callous chop
Star striker Luis Suarez has been involved in two World Cup controversies
READ: Gonzalo Jara gets Copa America ban after jabbing Cavani’s bum

Published:
14:59 GMT, 25 June 2015

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Updated:
20:28 GMT, 25 June 2015

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For football fans of a certain vintage, the name Uruguay will forever be associated with the dark arts of the beautiful game.

It was at Mexico ’86 that the hatchet men from Montevideo stained an otherwise fabulous tournament with their cynicism, scything and outright brutality.

Just ask Scotland’s Gordon Strachan, the victim of a callous chop which earned the perpetrator – Jose Batista – a straight red card just 55 seconds after kick-off. The Uruguayans played in all white that day, but angelic they were not.

Uruguay entered the 2015 Copa America as defending champions but left with their reputation dented further

Striker Edinson Cavani was sent off after abusing the referee’s assistant and raising a hand at Gonzalo Jara

Somehow, the 10 men kicked their way to the goalless draw needed to set up a last-16 tie with Argentina.

There they again tried to use violence as a tactic to garner victory. But in Diego Maradona Argentina boasted a streetwise schemer long since accustomed to outwitting the baddies. And so a Maradona-inspired Argentina won 1-0 en route to being crowned champions.

For Uruguay, however, their reputation had been cast as criminals of the sport.

Fast forward to the modern day and a new generation of football fans are being exposed to the darker side of the Uruguayans.

They entered this summer’s Copa America as defending champions but left with their reputation dented further after crashing out in the quarter-finals.

But it was the manner of their 1-0 defeat to hosts Chile which made the headlines after they finished the match with nine men, six yellow cards and were involved in countless arguments with the officials.

The Uruguay players surround the officials during their 1-0 loss to hosts Chile in their quarter-final clash

Gordon Strachan was a victim of a callous chop which earned Jose Batista a red card at Mexico ’86

Striker Edinson Cavani was sent off for two yellow cards after abusing the referee’s assistant and raising a hand at Gonzalo Jara.

There have, however, been warning signs of Uruguay’s crazy behaviour, including two high-profile cases involving star striker Luis Suarez.

Suarez, no stranger to controversy, ended his World Cup 2014 campaign in embarrassing fashion after biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini.

Suarez ended his World Cup 2014 campaign in embarrassing fashion after biting defender Giorgio Chiellini

The striker, no stranger to controversy, reacts after biting the Italy player and appears to hold his tooth in pain

The 28-year-old sunk his teeth into Chiellini’s left shoulder during a Uruguay attack and was ultimately banned from nine international matches and four months from all football.

Uruguay crashed out of the tournament, hosted by Brazil, in the last 16 but their performance in the World Cup will be forever remembered for Suarez’s antics.

Four years previously at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the Barcelona striker palmed a goalbound header off the line in the quarter-final clash with Ghana.

Suarez, 28, palmed a goalbound header off the line in the quarter-final clash with Ghana at the World Cup 2010

Suarez prevented Dominic Adiyah from scoring a goal that would’ve booked their spot in the semi-finals

Suarez prevented Dominic Adiyah from scoring a goal that would’ve booked their spot in the semi-finals.

But his job wasn’t done. The former Liverpool star wildly celebrated after the African side missed the resulting penalty and the South Americans eventually won the tie.

This two-time World Cup winning country, which has a population of 3.4million, have provided us with incredible football moments but they’ve also had their fair share of controversy.

It seems, if their recent tournament performances are anything to go by, that Uruguay will go to extreme measures to win.