Matias Cabrera was 20 and a fresh-faced rookie when he made his FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup debut at Rio de Janeiro 2006, this in a squad also containing German Parrillo and Leandro Ortiz, his current coaches. Today, 15 years on, he is Uruguay’s captain and leader, as he showed in scoring the opener in their vital win against Oman on Sunday. As Cabrera explained, Uruguay owed that victory in large part to their famous garra charrúa, the grit and determination that the country’s players always seem to find at key moments, no matter what surface they are playing on. “It was a match we had to win because we’d be on the verge of elimination if we hadn’t, and we were up against tough opponents too,” the Uruguay defender told FIFA.com after his side let slip a two-goal before clinching victory late on. “We relied on our famous garra charrúa and we got the job done.” Uruguay also relied on their footballing abilities, which were much needed after the 6-1 loss to Senegal in their opening game. “We just weren’t able to counter their tactics,” said Cabrera in reference to the defeat to the Africans, “but today we managed to play the game at our pace. Oman are very similar to us. It was easier for us to play our game and that was enough for us to get the win.”

No Uruguayan has appeared at more Beach Soccer World Cups than Cabrera, who has now graced six, or played more world finals matches than his 27 and counting. A World Cup runner-up with La Celeste in 2006, he was also part of the team that finished third in 2007 and fourth in 2009. What does he think when he looks back? “The first thing is that I’m not the same, that’s for sure (laughs)! Things have really changed. It’s all very strict now. It used to be less professional but now it’s an elite sport. You have to be physically and mentally ready to compete. And it’s growing all the time.” Cabrera was also there for the decade of World Cup qualification failures, between 2009 and 2019: “Those ten years were frustrating, but luckily we came back. Us old boys have combined well with the new breed and we’re a good side that’s done a lot of work in preparing for this World Cup.”

With all the experience he now has under his belt, it is perhaps no surprise that two of his former team-mates should now be his coaches: “Hey, I’m younger than they are,” he joked. “We know each other well. They know what I think and what I have to offer, which is why they made me captain. I think I’m repaying them.” As Cabrera was quick to acknowledge, he has a different relationship with them than the rest of the squad: “Yes, I’ve got more licence to talk about certain things, but my team-mates understand that. I’ve been doing this for more than 15 years.” So how long will he go on for? “I love this sport and I’d play until I was 50 if I could,” said Cabrera, who also plays footvolley: “I’ve played at four World Cups and I was the first to give classes in Uruguay. I want to help develop the game nationally and I’d love to see it become an Olympic sport.”

Returning to Russia 2021, Cabrera’s goal against Oman was his eighth at the World Cup. He scored two apiece in 2006, 2007 and 2009 (the three competitions where Uruguay reached the semi-finals), and one in 2008, though he failed to find the back of the net in 2019. “I hope it wasn’t the last [goal]. I promise there’s at least one more to come,” he vowed. A Cabrera strike would certainly come in useful against Portugal, a daunting hurdle Uruguay need to clear to reach the last eight: “They’re the world champions and they’ve got the Martins brothers, who are fantastic players.

"But Uruguay are Uruguay. You can’t ever rule us out. Uruguayan grit is unique, and I’ve beaten the best and lost to the worst. I’m full of confidence.”