Tabarez set for 200th match in charge of Uruguay

Montevideo (AFP) – Iconic Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez will reach a new milestone when his team take on Peru in a friendly on Tuesday, in his 200th match in charge of the two-time world champions.

The 72-year-old, who suffers from a nerve disorder that forces him to uses crutches to walk, has held the record of most matches in charge of a single national team since 2016.

He has been at the Uruguay helm for 13 years and last year signed a contract extension until the end of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

His crowning moment came in 2011 when he led Uruguay to the Copa America title, a year after his side reached the World Cup semi-finals.

His 199th match in charge on Friday saw Uruguay beat Peru 1-0 in a friendly in Montevideo.

Tuesday’s match will be in the Peruvian capital Lima.

Tabarez’s record number does not include those during his reign when he was unable to sit on the bench either through illness or suspension, Uruguay’s football federation confirmed to AFP.

He was first in charge from 1988-90 before returning to the post in 2006.

In 1987 he led Uruguayan giants Penarol to Copa Libertadores success, while in 1992 he won the Argentine championship with Boca Juniors, the country’s most popular team.