José Nasazzi, El Mariscal, was one of the symbols of Uruguay's glory, not only in the pre-W.W.II period, but throughout the history of the Celeste. Widely known as an exemplary defender-captain, Nasazzi was regarded as one of the best defenders of all-time. Nevertheless, an aspect that is very little recognized about the former Uruguayan captain is the fact that he was very versatile, mainly working in centralized positions. Yes, Nasazzi was a versatile player, very versatile and who fulfilled these field positions at the highest level. In addition to being an excellent defender, Nasazzi played several times as centre-half and centre-forward.

Due to his main qualities — tackling, aerial play, shooting, physical strength, stamina, persistence, game perception — Nasazzi had what it took to shine both defensively and offensively. Even though the old centre-half had more offensive characteristics, it was still a standard defensive position. However, the landscape already changes when Nasazzi was cast as centre-forward — and what an exceptional centre-forward he was, a true goal-scorer.

Nasazzi, when he played centre-forward, was a prolific goalscorer. His shooting was accurate and fulminating, his aerial game was exceptional, his sense of game was high to the point of knowing the right moment of his actions; besides that his impressive physical strength and persistence made him a difficult player to fight. However, how the story tells, he was even better as defender, of course, but his game as centre-forward was also exceptional.