Cavani scored on his Uruguay debut against Colombia on 6 February 2008, and has since then earned 123 caps and scored 53 international goals, only behind strike partner Luis Suárez among Uruguayan internationals. He has participated in nine major international tournaments: the FIFA World Cup in 2010, 2014 and 2018, the Copa América in 2011, 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2021, and the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2013. He scored once at the 2010 World Cup to help Uruguay to fourth place in the tournament, and in 2011 was part of the Uruguay squad that won a record fifteenth Copa América title. He finished as the CONMEBOL 2018 World Cup qualification top scorer with ten goals.