The Barcelona forward was named Player of the Tournament as la Celeste were crowned champions in the 2011 edition of the competition but is unavailable to help his country defend their title due to suspension.

With such a key figure absent, Cavani will be expected to shoulder much of the goal-scoring requirements for Óscar Tabárez’s men in Chile, and he knows that he has a big part to play in Uruguay’s campaign.

“I met Luis [Suárez] in the [Champions League] match against Barcelona and we talked. I told him jokingly: ‘Now Edi is going to have to drag everything along.’ We laughed. You have to laugh, there is no other option,” Cavani told Ovación Digital.

“These things happen in football and now, as one of the leaders of the team, I do take that position and responsibility. I’m one of the longest-serving players that is playing at a high level in the world. I have a reputation to defend, I know.”Today, I’m going through a good time here in Paris and I hope that everything remains this way, but it is not a question only of what I want, but a set of things.

“I hope it is my Copa, but we can all have a great Copa. And that I can be at my best because this will be a very large contribution to the group.”

Uruguay have been drawn in Group B alongside Argentina, Paraguay and Jamaica, and although Cavani thinks it will be tough, he feels that going into the competition without being considered favourites is a benefit.

“We never went anywhere as favourites and it’s better not to. Since I was a child, since I can remember, and now that I am part of the national team, it was never like that,” he added.”I think going into tournaments under the radar is what characterises us and what makes us do well. We like to go slowly and leave triumphant. We are the reigning Copa América champions and have won the most titles.

“Honestly, I do not know if we are in the group of death. We have to keep our reputation, and Uruguay always likes it difficult.

“Uruguayans seem born to face difficulties, in sport and in other things too. The toughest challenges are the ones I like.”

Bron: ca2015.com