Manchester United’s new signing, Ugarte, has expressed his desire to bring the famous Uruguayan “garra charrúa” (Uruguayan fighting spirit) to the team’s midfield, especially following the defeat at Old Trafford against Liverpool last weekend.
“‘Garra charrúa’ can be understood as a never-say-die fighting spirit, going all out to win back possession,” Ugarte said in an interview with The Daily Telegraph. “This is a quality that Uruguayan players are born with…”
“Although Uruguay is a small country, it has achieved many victories and great accomplishments. Our nation has produced numerous outstanding players. The spirit of ‘garra charrúa’ was born in this context, emphasizing giving everything regardless of the situation,” the new Manchester United player added.
Tackling is one of Ugarte’s strong suits. This former Paris Saint-Germain star ranked among the top for tackles per game in Europe’s top leagues over the past two seasons. Ugarte stated that football, for Uruguayan players, is a sport where they fight just as hard whether they have the ball or not, and he hopes to bring this mentality to Manchester United.
In the 2023/24 Ligue 1 season, Ugarte made 98 tackles, more than any other player, despite only starting 21 games out of 34. Despite Paris Saint-Germain having an average possession rate of 66%, Ugarte confidently stated that he is not just a midfield ‘sweeper.’
“Tackling comes naturally to me, and I hope it will be useful in the Premier League. However, I want to be seen as a complete player. I believe I’m not only good at tackling but also at controlling the ball,” Ugarte emphasized.
Ugarte is expected to make his debut on September 14th in Manchester United’s away match against Southampton, which is the fourth round of the 2024/25 Premier League season. However, this is contingent on him not getting injured during international matches with the Uruguayan national team during the international break.