Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez has rubbished his country's reputation as hatchet men ahead of their World Cup opener against France tomorrow.
Tabarez's side take on the 1998 champions in Group A at Cape Town's Green Point Stadium tomorrow still with question marks over their discipline.
The recent South American qualification campaign saw them amass 48 bookings and four red cards in 18 games. Indeed, attacking midfielder Cristian Rodriguez was omitted from Tabarez's squad as he is suspended for two matches following a dismissal in the final qualifier against Argentina.
The 1930 and 1950 winners have earned a reputation for gamesmanship over the years through some memorably defensive and physical performances and courtesy of the likes of Paolo Montero, the notoriously aggressive former national team lynchpin.
Tabarez insists it is unfair to stereotype his team, however.
"I think almost all of the squads (in qualifying) had a number of red and yellow cards. Some, in fact, have far more than we did," he said.
"Some of them are also here in South Africa.
"I knew this question would be asked at some point. I expected it.
"Every time an important tournament comes up, we Uruguayans always get that question. I'm happy to say that on March 3 this year we went for a friendly in Switzerland. We won there and Switzerland, who are also here, were given five yellow cards and we were given none.
"So we're talking about football here and I don't think it is right to interpret with a bias. We shouldn't be biased when we interpret certain aspects of reality.
"We shouldn't link that to mistakes Uruguay made (in the past) when playing football."
Tabarez - whose side's arrival in Cape Town was delayed for four hours by aeroplane engine problems - added: "We have been respectful to all FIFA's fair play rules, from timetables and schedules to everything.
"We've always abided by FIFA's rules. When things don't go our way, I have my own opinion but we keep moving forward and I think that's what we have to do.
"Believe me, Uruguay's ambition is to win the match but we want it to be played fairly, a clean game, with people leaving the stadium happy with what they have seen."
Tabarez has already named his XI for the match, with the potent duo of Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan leading the line.
Forlan was his only minor injury doubt with a leg injury but the Atletico Madrid striker has recovered in time to play.
Tabarez treated today's slight delay philosophically.
"It didn't affect us much, although we virtually arrived and started training and couldn't rest as we wished," he said.
"But that is water under the bridge now - there's no point trying to explain all this.
"We just have to make it known that we planned things after being told we would have total availability of all aircraft to choose our times and this didn't happen, that's all."