Pua expects a tough start this summer (Allsport).

By Nick Aitken, PA International

Click here for more Uruguay news
Click here for more World Cup news

The first World Cup winners were in danger of disappearing into footballing oblivion last November.

Uruguay, who also hosted the 1930 tournament, were facing play-off knockout by Australia - the nation which has clasped 'soccer' to its young heart - and Victor Pua's dream was dying.

Pua had been in charge for eight months and had steered Uruguay into fifth place in CONMEBOL qualifying, yet a 1-0 defeat by the Socceroos in Melbourne left them staring at elimination at the final hurdle.

Their coach, appointed when Daniel Passarella quit at the start of 2001, had previously bossed the Under-17 and Under-20 teams and had built strong relationships with several players, nurturing them into full internationals.

Had they failed in the Montevideo second leg, Uruguay would have been missing from three successive World Cup tournaments and nobody would have blinked.

But Pua's side were electric inside the Estadio Centenario, with Dario Silva's early strike settling nerves and Pablo Morales netting twice in the second half to secure a 3-1 aggregate win.

While their failure to achieve qualification for this summer's showpiece event would have been briefly noteworthy, it would have been soon forgotten.

Pua's side can make the world stand up and take note in the Far East though, as he takes a troupe of players fit to survive well beyond the first round.

Alvaro Recoba at Inter Milan would walk into the Italy squad, while the likes of Juventus' Paolo Montero and Fabian Carini, Manchester United's Diego Forlan and Malaga's Dario Silva have unquestionable first-class ability.

Pua has taken full advantage of Passarella's resignation, despite suffering defeat by Paraguay in his first match in charge.

The likes of Chile and Brazil were beaten as Uruguay pipped Colombia to the play-off position by a single goal.

The finals are where the hard work starts, according to most coaches, but Pua has already been pushed to the limit.

"The qualifying campaign can prove more stressful than a World Cup due to the home-and-away nature of the matches, which of course doesn't happen at the World Cup," he said.

"However the World Cup is without doubt football's biggest event and this brings its own pressures."

World champions France await them, along with the resurgent Danes and finals debutants Senegal in the opening stage.

"This group is going to be very tough," insisted Pua.

"Even a perceived weak team such as Senegal cannot be taken lightly as they have several players who are currently playing in the French league.

"For that reason I think that the group is going to be hard-fought and well-matched."