Italy vs. Uruguay: Comparison of Culture, Sports, History, Landmarks, More
Group D of the FIFA 2014 World Cup in Brazil gives fans two of the most distinguished soccer teams of all time, Italy and Uruguay.
These teams will be facing off with much to gain. Both currently have one victory. With England already eliminated from the group, any team could be next. Both teams are rich in soccer history. But how do the two teams stack up on and off the field?
Latin Post.com takes a look at these two nations in our "Head to Head" series:
Soccer History
Italy and Uruguay are two of the most accomplished soccer nations in the world. Italy has the most World Cup championships of any European nation with four, and trails only Brazil for most all time. Italy has showed extreme consistency, having made the World Cup tournament in five different decades. Uruguay won the first-ever World Cup that was played in 1930 and then a second in 1950.
Uruguay and Italy dominated the soccer world by winning the first four World Cups ever played.
Despite participating in the biggest soccer tournament in the World for over 80 years, these two have only met one another twice in the World Cup. In 1970, the two teams tied 0-0 in group play, and in 1990, Italy eliminated Uruguay in the knockout stage 2-0 as the host nation.
Landmarks
Italy is one of the oldest countries in world with some of the most breathtaking attractions anywhere. Some of the famous landmarks include the Colosseum, the leaning tower of Pisa, the Roman Forum and the Pantheon. The capital, Rome, is one of the most vacationed cities in the entire world.
The city of Colonia del Sacramento is full of history in Southern Uruguay. Visitors can check out the museums and cobblestone streets that have been there for years. The capital of Montevideo and Punta del Este are home to some of the best beaches in Uruguay. Tourists can also get a glimpse of "The Hand" in Punta del Este, which was constructed in 1982.
Food
Uruguay is a small country, but they are known for having some of the best sandwiches and meats on the Western hemisphere. The chivito is a famous dish similar to the American style cheese steak. Both Italy and Uruguay put a lot of emphasis on breads, sauces and cheeses. Italy has the most well-known pizzas and pastas in the world as well as wine.
Celebrities
Italy is most notable for their filmmakers and actors. Movies and music are are very popular in Italy. One of the most well-known directors is Sergio Leone, who was born in Rome. Leone directed many well known movies, such as "A Fistful of Dollars," "For a Few Dollars More," "The Good the Bad and the Ugly" and "Once Upon a Time in America." Uruguay's music is very admired in South America, and one of the most popular musicians is Jorge Drexler. In 2004, he became the first ever Uruguayan-born person to win an Academy Award for his song in the movie the "Motorcycle Diaries."
Economy
Both Uruguay and Italy have history with one another off the field as they are both members of the Latin Union. Currently, Italy is a bigger country and has much more people, but Uruguay's unemployment rate is half of Italy's.
Italy's biggest economic partners include Germany, France and the United States. The largest exported goods by Italy are clothing, textiles and food. Uruguay's biggest trade partners are Brazil, China and Argentina. Because of Uruguay's rich food, they export much of it. These include beef, rice, soybeans. As you can see once again, both these nations thrive on food.
For up-to-date sports news, scores, and more, follow Latin Post Sports on Twitter
Subscribe to Latin Post!
Sign up for our free newsletter for the Latest coverage!