It was the signal for thousands in Montevideo and the rest of the country to turn to the streets and public squares to celebrate draped in flags, painted faces, cars blowing their horns.

Celebrations extended well into early Monday as the caravan bringing the champions from Carrasco airport (20 minute flight from Buenos Aires) crossed the capital to cheering crowds for a major welcome at a packed Centenary Stadium, where the first World Cup was played in 1930.

As had been anticipated Uruguay’s firepower was too much for the Paraguayan side, the two gladiators had achieved major fetes in their trail to the final: Uruguay knocked out the hosts Argentina with Lionel Messi and some of the most expensive players on the planet, and Paraguay had done the same with Brazil.

Both teams arrived at the final unbeaten, although Paraguay’s definitions were with extra-time and penalties.

Forlán the 2010 World Cup best player, after a long ‘drought’ of goals finally scored twice against Paraguay: late in the first half time and in the last minute of the game making it a conclusive 3-0.

Luis Suarez voted the best player of the tournament put Uruguay ahead in the eighth minute when his low, left-footed shot from the right beat the diving Justo Villar and went in off the far post.

Three minutes before half time Forlan ran onto a ball from midfielder Egidio Arevalo Rios and blasted left-footed past Villar from the edge of the box.

And in the last minute Forlán completed a fine counter-attacking move, steering the ball past Villar and in off the post.

Uruguay now have one more Cup title than hosts Argentina, whom they upset on penalties in the quarter-finals, at the end of a fine 12 months following their fourth place at the World Cup. Outgoing champions Brazil, also eliminated in the quarter-finals on penalties by Paraguay, have eight titles.

Suarez scored four goals in the tournament, one less than top scorer Paolo Guerrero whose hat-trick helped Peru beat Venezuela 4-1 for third place in La Plata on Saturday.

Forlán, who won a Uruguayan record 82nd cap, equalled the national record of 31 held by Hector Scarone, (Olympic champion in 1924, 1928 and the first World Cup in 1930).

Forlan also completed a three generation family record: together with his grandfather Corazzo, his father Pablo Forlan they have all won the Copa America.

Uruguay not only received the prize to the Most Valuable player (Suárez) but also to the best young player, Sebastian Coates (20) and the Fair Play Trophy.

The Copa America is the oldest football competition in the world: the first was played in 1916, in Buenos Aires and was won by Uruguay.

In good Uruguayan multiracial tradition dating back to the first international matches with the sky-blue colours since the early XXth century, the 2011 winning team had several Afro-Uruguayan players, one of them ‘Palito’ Pereira will be joining striker Luis Suarez in Liverpool.

Paraguay will meet Uruguay in Sunday’s Copa America final in Argentina after a dramatic penalty shoot-out win over Venezuela.

The 5-3 loss denied Venezuela the chance to reach the final of the Latin American tournament for the first time.

The match itself was largely disappointing and finished goal-less, a far cry from the 3-3 thriller played out in the group stages by the same two sides – Venezuela had come back from 3-1 down.

Venezuela will now play Peru, who lost to Uruguay (2-0) in the other semi-final, for 3rd place.

Uruguay, surprise semi-finalists at the World Cup in South Africa last year, showed on Saturday that the achievement was no fluke.

They toppled hosts Argentina in the quarterfinals of the Copa America and now face modest Peru in tomorrow night’s semi-final.

Uruguay and Argentina finished 1-1 after extra time in Santa Fe, but Uruguay won a penalty shootout 5-4 when goalkeeper Fernando Muslera saved Carlos Tevez’s spot kick (pictured).

Spearheaded by star forwards Diego Forlan, player of the tournament at the South African World Cup, and Luis Suarez, Uruguay are now strong contenders to win the Copa America for the first time since 1995. Victories tomorrow and on Sunday would bring Uruguay their 15th Copa America title.

Saturday’s victory came in a tense match in which the Uruguayans played with a man down for nearly an entire half after Diego Perez was sent off in the 39th minute. Argentina captain Javier Mascherano was red-carded near the end of regulation time to level the numbers.

Goalkeeper Muslera was the key man in frustrating a star-studded Argentina forward line that included Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain and Tevez. He made difficult saves throughout the match to keep Uruguay in the match until the end.

South America’s premier international football tournament, known to all and sundry as the Copa América, will take place in Argentina from July 1st. For the home nation it is imperative that they reclaim an international trophy as their success starved supporters haven’t experienced any silverware since the 1993 tournament. But their arch rivals Brazil will not wish to relinquish the title that they have won on four of the last five occasions whilst the likes of Uruguay and Paraguay will hope to make further progress following a successful 2010 FIFA World Cup.

World football’s oldest international competition is being played for the 43rd time since its inception in 1916. In the early days the tournament was dominated by Uruguay and Argentina, a fact which is still reflected today in the number of titles won by each country (both have a joint record 14 wins each). From 1916-37 the two initial powers of the South American game won twelve out of the first 14 championships (Brazil won the other two) before Peru became the first country outside of the traditional Big Three to win the trophy in 1939.

One aspect of this tournament which did surprise for many years was the inability of Brazil to win the Copa. The Brazilians chalked up only 4 title wins in the first eighty years of a competition which featured on the calendar much more frequently than the FIFA World Cup, a competition which they have come to see as private property over the years. Indeed when Uruguay won their most recent Copa America title in 1995, defeating Brazil on penalties, beaten Brazil coach Mario Zagallo lifted four fingers into the air in the direction of Uruguay’s jubilant supporters to remind them that Brazil still enjoyed more success in the World Cup, which they also won once more in 2002. However the Selecao have been on a role in recent years having won four of the last five Copa America tournaments but they still lag six title wins behind both of their main rivals.

The record of smaller nations in the Copa America shows just how difficult it is for any country outside of the usual suspects to win it. Only on six occasions has anybody else won the trophy with Peru (1939 & 1975) and Paraguay (1953 & 1979) winning it on two occasions whilst Bolivia (1963) and Colombia (2001) have savoured one solitary title win apiece. Colombia’s Copa triumph was the last time that none of the traditional powers lifted the trophy and it is difficult to see a repeat this time around. The tournament has been enhanced in recent years by the invitation of various nations from outside South America to play in the Copa. This recent tradition will be upheld this time with the inclusion of Costa Rica (a last minute replacement for Japan) and Mexico who are now as good as established in this competition having made seven previous appearances.

Group A (Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Bolivia)

Tournament hosts Argentina are desperate to end their title drought having last won a trophy in the 1993 Copa America. The Albiceleste have lost to arch-rivals Brazil in the last two finals and are determined to end that run of home soil especially as the world’s best player Lionel Messi will be playing in his homeland. 2001 Copa winners Colombia are most likely to join the hosts into the quarter-finals and have a good chance of making the semi-finals should striker Radamel Falcao be in good form. It’s difficult to see either Costa Rica or Bolivia going through as a best third-placed team as the former are playing in only their fourth tournament whilst the latter haven’t got beyond the group stage in the last four tournaments.

Group B (Brazil, Paraguay, Ecuador, Venezuela)

After years of underachievement in this competition the Brazilians have been making up for lost time in the last decade having won four of the last five tournaments. The last two victories in 2004 and 2007 have come against Argentina and it would be a truly remarkable feat if Brazil were to repeat such an outcome this time around. Paraguay, having reached the quarter-finals of last year’s FIFA World Cup in South Africa, are a good bet to go far in the tournament especially if deadly striker Lucas Barrios repeats his prolific goal scoring form which has made him such a hit at his club Borussia Dortmund. Ecuador and Venezuela, two countries never to have won this competition, are expected to struggle but one of them may be fortunate enough to qualify for the last eight as a best third-place team.

Group C (Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Mexico)

Joint record champions Uruguay haven’t got their hands on the trophy since 1995 but there is a lot of optimism around that a renaissance for Uruguayan football is just around the corner. Following the national team’s run to the semi-finals of last year’s World Cup, coupled with Penarol’s appearance in the Copa Libertadores final, many are predicting Uruguay to go far in the Copa America. However they have been drawn in arguably the toughest group of the tournament with Chile, Peru and Mexico. Chile made it to the quarter-finals of the 2007 Copa but were thrashed 6-1 by eventual winners Brazil, Peru have made it to the last eight stage in the last four consecutive tournaments whilst Mexico, recent winners of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, may field a weakened team but are always a tough proposition, a fact borne out by the fact that they have reached the final twice in seven attempts albeit without ultimate success.

Unlike in previous tournaments to be held in the country Argentina 2011 will be unique in that only one game in the whole tournament will be played at the national stadium “El Monumental” in Buenos Aires, that game being the final on July 24th. Throughout the group stages and knockout rounds leading up to the final seven cities will be playing host to the talents of South America’s finest with La Plata having the privilege of hosting six matches. Cordoba, Mendoza and Santa Fe will host four games, San Juan three and Jujuy and Salta feature in two matches each. This is the ninth Copa America tournament to be held in Argentina and history shows us that only the host nation (six times) or Uruguay (twice) emerge victorious. Will that be the case this around? Will Brazil ensure that the Copa remains firmly within their grasp? Or can an unexpected contender defy the odds and come away with South America’s biggest prize? In any case it should prove to be a fascinating tournament.

The Copa America schedule could be altered if the ash cloud from Chile’s volcano keeps grounding flights in the region, Argentine Football Association President Julio Grondona said Tuesday.

The tournament is due to open on July 1 in La Plata, Argentina, with the host facing Bolivia. The event ends with the final July 24 in Buenos Aires.

Flights were grounded Tuesday in Argentina and neighbouring Uruguay. CONMEBOL, the governing body of South American football, said Monday it would consider having teams fly to Asuncion, Paraguay, and then travel by land to venues in Argentina.

“We’re watching it closely and it’s for sure that teams are not ready to come to Buenos Aires,” Grondona said, speaking Tuesday on Radio 10. “The tournament starts July 1 and we hope that within five or six days the problems with the ash will not exist.”

Twelve teams are entered in the tournament — 10 from South America (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Paraguay, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia and Peru) plus Mexico and Costa Rica, which play as guest nations.

The drifting plume of ash also briefly threatened Wednesday’s first leg of the Copa Libertadores final in Montevideo, Uruguay, between Brazil club Santos and Uruguay’s Penarol. After a brief delay Tuesday, a charter carrying Santos managed to land in Montevideo. The second leg is June 22 in Sao Paulo.

CONMEBOL postponed the draw for the Copa Sudamericana – the continent’s No. 2 club tournament – from Tuesday until Thursday. It said some club representatives were having trouble reaching Paraguay.

Lionel Messi mesmerized Manchester United into submission on Saturday as his dazzling Barcelona team claimed an emphatic 3-1 win in the Champions League final to bag their third European crown in six seasons.

Barcelona comprehensively outplayed United throughout and took a deserved lead in the 27th minute when Pedro fired home after a brilliant pass from his captain Xavi.

Though Wayne Rooney equalized just seven minutes later on a rare United counter-attack, Barcelona underlined their supremacy in the second half, Messi firing home a sizzler in the 54th minute and then setting up David Villa for the third in the 69th after a typical jinking run into the box.

On Saturday evening, two of the world’s greatest football clubs, Barcelona and Manchester United, will clash in the UEFA Champions League final at one of the grand cathedrals of the football world, Wembley Stadium – the victors will be crowned the kings of Europe.

It’s no secret that without the top Latin American players, European footballs biggest club competition – the UEFA Champions League – wouldn’t be nearly as (technically) good or entertaining.

Last year’s Champion League winners, Inter Milan, could have almost fielded an entire eleven of Latin American players in the final – which just shows how important Central and South Americans are in the European game.

Barcelona and Manchester United will both be hoping their Latin American stars can help them win the greatest prize in European football. Some glorious Latin American talent will be on display and here’s four players that could make the biggest impact.

Lionel Andrés Messi (Argentina)

Leo Messi, with two Ballon d’Or awards to his name (2009 and 2010), is the best player in the world. This modest Argentinian has speed, dribbling and shooting skills. But despite so many individual virtues, he is also a remarkable team player.

So how do you stop Lionel Messi? That is the question that may just have been giving Sir Alex Ferguson sleepless nights in the last few weeks. Few have managed it with the Argentine amassing an incredible 55 goals in 61 games, for club and country this season, although United will note he has gone four games without a goal.

Yet Ferguson will also need no reminding that it was Messi who popped up with the killer second goal in the 2009 final. The Barcelona star capped a superb performance with a majestic header that sealed a deserved victory, and few would bet against him finding his way onto the scoresheet once again.

Daniel Alves da Silva (Brazil)

Dani Alves is one of the strongest, most intense right-sided players in the world, and covers an extraordinary amount of ground. He went to FC Barcelona in the summer of 2008, after six seasons with Sevilla.

Since arriving at Barcelona, Alves has never been given the full recognition he deserves. That is understandable to a point, since it’s hard to stand out on a team with the likes of Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi. However, he’s a key cog to Barcelona’s recent dominance in La Liga and in Europe.

Dani Alves is arguably the prototypical 21st century full-back and his devastating runs upfield have led to a staggering 14 assists in Spain this season – third-highest in La Liga and more than Real Madrid’s playmaker Mesut Ozil and winger Cristiano Ronaldo. The bulk of his assists are helping to pad the résumé of the world’s greatest player, Messi. If Manchester United find a way to shut down Alves, they might better contain the atomic flea.

Luis Antonio Valencia (Ecuador)

The Ecuadorian has been in sensational form since returning from an ankle-break suffered against Rangers in a UEFA Champions League group stage encounter in September. The 25-year-old has played a huge role in guiding United to the final of the UEFA Champions League and has also chipped in with some wonderful displays in English Premier League.

Most notably, his performance against Chelsea in the Champions League semi-final was simply outstanding, as he bamboozled Ashley Cole with his pace and trickery.

Valencia will be crucial in helping nullify the threat of David Villa as well as providing the right-sided service for Manchester United going forward. If Carles Puyol plays on the left side of Barcelona’s defence, this will be one of the key battles of the final.

Javier Hernández (Mexico)

The rise of Javier (Chicharito) Hernández has been nothing short of breathtaking. When Man United announced the acquisition of the 22-year-old Mexican from Guadalajara 13 months ago, it was easy to wonder if he’d even get playing time at the club. All he’s done since then is score 20 goals (in all competitions) for United this season and push Dimitar Berbatov out of the starting line-up while combining well with Wayne Rooney up top.

Hernández’s speed will be key if United is to score on the counter against Barcelona, and his instinctive movement off the ball helps open things up for Rooney. Football purists will be waiting for the moment he is matched up with the 33-year-old Carles Puyol, who is the heart and soul of the Barca defense and their most physical defender.

The young Mexican has already had a storybook year. Now he has a chance to make it even more memorable.

It’s fair to say that little was expected of Javier Hernandez in his first season after he signed for Manchester United last year.

A relative unknown in England, the 22-year-old boasted a modest goalscoring record with Mexican side Chivas before making a, perhaps, unexpected move to Old Trafford.

Now, the minimal transfer fee – reported to be around £6 million – is arguably the bargain of the century, with the young striker having netted an impressive 20 times during his debut campaign with United.

Plaudits have since been flooding in for the Mexico international, who has even been compared to Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi by none other than Brazil legend Pele.

“There is no doubt that Hernandez is a promising player,” said Pele.

“He is excellent, I have seen some games of his on television and he is a fantastic footballer.

”He could be the next Messi because he has great talent; he is a big surprise just as Hugo Sanchez was because he is another that scores a lot of goals.

“We should wait a little, because we still don’t know how he will play in the Mexican team… but without doubt, he has huge potential.”

The discovery of a beehive on a crossbar held up play for 20 minutes at a football match in Brazil on Sunday.

The Goiania state championship match between Vila Nova and Goias at the Serra Dourada was delayed when hundreds of bees gathered on one of the goals.

The fire brigade was called in and they used an extinguisher and a flaming torch to get rid of the bees.

The Serra Dourada will stage the international friendly between Brazil and Holland on 4 June 2011.

The return of midfielder Antonio Valencia has been a big boost for treble-chasing Manchester United and no-one is more relieved than manager Alex Ferguson.

The South American’s second season at Old Trafford came to an abrupt halt in September when he suffered a major ankle injury in United’s Champions League opener with Rangers.

Despite being out for six months due to injury, Valencia looks in good shape and has performed in line with expectations thus far – which has pleased his manager.

“We expected Antonio to come back like this,” said Ferguson. “He is an outstanding footballer, who is very capable of being a threat.”

“His understanding of the game is terrific,” continued Ferguson. “He has a great tactical brain. The boy has everything, balance, power and speed.”

The United midfielder grabbed his first goal since his return against Fulham over the weekend and also featured in last night’s victory over Chelsea in the Champions League match at Old Trafford.

It has been quite a journey for the Ecuadorian international. When Valencia was a young boy he helped his mother sell drinks outside Lago Agrio’s Carlos Vernaza stadium in north-east Ecuador, one of three energetic brothers who trawled towns looking for discarded bottles that his father then sold to a bottle-deposit in the capital city of Quito.

At 16, Valencia moved to Quito and El Nacional, Ecuador’s biggest club, on a monthly salary of US$50. Within a year, he was fast-tracked into the Under-20s where he scored 17 goals in 23 matches.

At 18 he was making his El Nacional debut alongside his idol, Edison Mendez, and a year later, in March 2005, he scored twice on his Ecuador debut in a 5-2 win over Paraguay.

Before the 2006 World Cup, Valencia had struggled to make his mark at Spanish side Villarreal but moved on loan to Recreativo Huelva.

He helped them win promotion to La Liga then had a starring role at the World Cup, putting himself in contention – along with Cristiano Ronaldo – for the Best Young Player award.

In the event, that accolade went to neither, Germany’s Lukas Podolski taking the honour. But Valencia’s path to the Premier League was assured.

Wigan scout Bill Green recommended him and Valencia moved on loan, bringing with him his girlfriend, Zoila, and their young daughter, Domenica.

His loan period was extended into the following season before Wigan made the move permanent, signing him on a three-and-a-half year contract in January 2008.

His performances for Wigan soon attracted attention from several high profile clubs and he turned down a move to Real Madrid before signing for Manchester United in June 2009, as a replacement for the departed Cristiano Ronaldo.

Five days after his 24th birthday he made his competitive debut for Manchester United in the Community Shield showpiece at Wembley.