2014 WORLD CUP
URUGUAY
12 FIGURE TEAM PACK

The inclusion of Uruguay as part of the 2014 World Cup range of SoccerStarz was initially over looked by most, as it was first reported that there would be just 3 Uruguay SoccerStarz figures released, those being Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani and Diego Forlan, however as it transpired a full team of 11 plus the manager would be released!

 

 

The trio of Suarez, Cavani and Forlan are of course the most instantly recognisable of Uruguay stars and therefore the most commercial, so it made sense to do them as part of the range, however an image appeared depicting a couple more Uruguay SoccerStarz along with a 12 figure list, things were getting interesting!

 

 

So who were the other 9, well collectors were treated to goal keeper Fernando Muslera, West Bromwich Albions' Diego Lugano, Gaston Ramirez of Southampton, Diego Godin of Atletico Madrid, Maxi Perreira of Benfica, Juventus' Martin Caceres, Cristian Rodriguez, Arevalo Rios and manager Oscar Tabarez, everybody loves a manger sculpt, i personally feel a manager figure completes the set.

 

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After communicating with those at SoccerStarz it was revealed that indeed there would be 12 Uruguay SoccerStarz released as part of the 2014 World Cup range, however the other 9 would be exclusive to Uruguay and not available outside their homeland, news that shocked collectors. 

 

 

The Uruguay SoccerStarz were distributed throughout Uruguay via supermarkets such as 'Supermercados Devoto' and released on the 7th of April. Collectors were frantically looking to acquire stock and through a contact in Uruguay i was able to acquire 25 full sets of blisters and 25 team packs, i had a few sleepless nights waiting for the parcel to arrive, hoping there would be no issues at customs.

 

 

It was not long before the stocks were being exhausted, with the manager Tabarez becoming increasingly harder and harder to find, with my contact having to visit multiple stores to try acquire his blister and the team packs were practically sold out everywhere.

 

 

For me the Uruguay collection of SoccerStarz is a perfect set for many reasons, it features a starting 11 and also the manager, what more could you want. I think a manger sculpt is essential and would rather have the manager sculpt over another 10 players sculpts, such as the German release.

 

 

The team pack is a great touch and a superb pack, a real collectors piece as not many were made and the entire stock went to Montevideo in Uruguay. The Uruguay release gave collectors something to search for and a few rare pieces to add to the collection, with the sculpts of Forlan, Rodriguez, Ramirez, Muslera, Rios, Caceres and Tabarez never being released again.