Luis Suarez: Uruguay were the best South American team at the World Cup FIFA World Cup 2018 Talks up fifth-place finish with Godin

Thousands of Uruguayans turned out in the early hours on Monday morning to welcome their team back from the World Cup, with Luis Suarez comfortable with being the best team from their continent in Russia.

No South American nation qualified for the semi-finals and Uruguay's record edged them ahead of fellow quarter-finalists Brazil.

"We arrived as one more team and we finished fifth at the World Cup, the best in South America, and we have to value that," Suarez told reporters at Carrasco International Airport.

It is not yet decided whether veteran coach Oscar Tabarez will continue to oversee the national team and Suarez believes onlookers cannot underestimate his impact.

"I think he is very important because of all that he has given to this team," added the striker. "He has made a very big change that no coach has been able to do and that is something that has to be valued."

Diego Godin also spoke after arriving home, the centre-back lauding his team's effort levels in Russia.

"We were again in a match to reach the semi-finals," said Godin. "We came in fifth position.

"We had a great World Cup, we obviously aspired to more, of course the dream and the aspiration is always the maximum, but the balance was positive and we have very good feelings because I think that in general we did well."