Despite defeat, fans proud of Uruguay

While the numbers may have dropped a bit compared to past enthusiasm as their team worked its way to the top, there were still plenty of fans who donned the team colours -- blue and white -- and went into the streets to express thanks and pride in Oscar Tabarez, the national coach, and the player-heroes.

They’ll be greeted on Monday with a triumphant celebration when they return home. The re-occurring mantra of the fetes was that “it was one of the best games of the whole World Cup”.

Many saw Saturday’s game against Germany as “David versus Goliath”.
After the final whistle, while the Germans climbed to the victory podium in South Africa, Uruguayans drove their automobiles all over the country decorated with national flags and honking their horns.

Uruguay’s World Cup performance, coming within a hair’s breadth of making it into the final, gave the country a huge shot of self confidence. They hadn’t reached the semifinals since 1970, and their two championships in 1930 and 1950 stretched way back in national memory.