Why do Uruguay have four stars on their crest during the 2026 World Cup?

Uruguay are tired of having this discussion, yet it comes up every time they appear in soccer’s biggest tournament. During the 2026 World Cup, it’s no different, as fans wonder why Uruguay’s crest has four stars even though La Celeste have only won two FIFA World Cups.

Uruguay won the 1930 and 1950 World Cups. However, they were also crowned champions at the 1924 and 1928 Olympics in Paris and Amsterdam, respectively. Because there was no such thing as a FIFA World Cup in 1924 and 1928, Uruguay argue that those two titles are equivalent to the sport’s biggest tournament.

Ask anybody in the Republica Oriental del Uruguay and they’ll tell you La Celeste are four-time world champions. Thus, they wear four stars on their crest—the same number as Germany and Italy, and only one fewer than Brazil, the most successful nation in World Cup history. Perhaps most importantly, those four stars put Uruguay ahead of neighboring country and fierce soccer rival Argentina.

Uruguay’s four-star crest is polarizing

However, if you ask anybody other than a Charrua, the answer will likely vary, and many will say Uruguay have won only two World Cups—one fewer than Argentina and tied with France. Every four years, when the World Cup comes around, the four-star debate heats up, with Uruguayans standing firm in their stance.

Uruguay’s crest with four stars.

Luis Suarez won’t be playing in the 2026 World Cup, but the four stars will be there. That’s the way it is with Los Charruas: players come and go, but their stars never fade and are worn with pride above the national team’s crest.

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First time Uruguay donned four stars

Brazil was the first national team to acknowledge their World Cup triumphs by placing stars above their crest. They did so in 1974, reminding the world of their three conquests of the Jules Rimet Trophy, which was later succeeded by the FIFA World Cup Trophy as we know it today. In fact, Brazil have won the Jules Rimet Trophy more times than they have won the current trophy.

Uruguay, on the other hand, have never won—nor reached the final of—a World Cup since the Jules Rimet Trophy was discontinued. The fact Uruguay haven’t won a World Cup since 1950, yet claim four world titles spanning from 1924 to 1950, only adds fuel to the debate and is often used as an argument to disregard La Celeste’s claim.

However, Uruguay included their four world championships on their crest in 1991, according to CNN, and have never looked back since. Although FIFA requested that Uruguay’s then-outfitter Puma remove the four stars from the crest in 2021, La Celeste presented evidence to support their case, and FIFA ultimately accepted the four stars. Thus, soccer’s governing body accepts Uruguay’s claim.

Uruguay’s world titles

There is a big distinction that must be taken into account, though. Uruguay are four-time world champions, but only two-time FIFA World Cup champions. Still, they wear those four stars with pride on their chest, and no Uruguayan will ever be convinced otherwise. Uruguay don’t care about being handed their flowers. All they ask is that nobody mess with their stars.