The British team only needed a draw to advance to the quarters, but a goal from Daniel Sturridge ensured the host nation went through easily.
Tens of thousands of fans packed into Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium for the match to cheer on the British side.
Welshman Ryan Giggs captained Team GB, with Craig Bellamy Joe Allen, Aaron Ramsey and Neil Taylor also in the squad. But it was Chelsea’s Sturridge who led the team to victory.
Uruguay had needed a win at the Millennium Stadium to go through after a disappointing performance so far. In earlier matches, they only narrowly defeated UAE and lost to 10-man Senegal.
Great Britain will next play South Korea in the quarter finals.