Uruguay's World Cup Exit
Spain Tops Group H with 1-0 Win, Eliminating Uruguay from World Cup
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Key Points
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Cape Verde finished second in Group H with three points, the result of three draws, including a 0-0 result with Saudi Arabia, which left Uruguay eliminated and Cape Verde as runner-up ahead of the two involved teams.
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Muslera's third blunder of the tournament forced Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa to substitute him at halftime, with Sergio Rochet coming on for the second half. Bielsa added: 'He is the one who decided to leave.'
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Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa took full responsibility for La Celeste's failure, saying, 'The blame is on me. I’m the one responsible for the disappointing work that I did. I had a group of quality players.'
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Manuel Ugarte was taken off on a stretcher with an apparent leg injury in the second half, underscoring Uruguay’s崩崩 continued misfortunes in the match.
Spain topped Group H at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, beating Uruguay 1-0 on Thursday to advance to the knockout stage with seven points. Álex Baena scored the only goal in the 42nd minute after goalkeeper Fernando Muslera failed to stop a tame shot, sealing Uruguay's fate as the highest-ranked team eliminated in the group stage, according to AP.
Cape Verde, a nation of just 500,000 people, claimed second place in the group without winning a single game — three draws were enough. Uruguay finished with two points and are out. Their campaign was marked by goalkeeping errors, internal tension, and a late red card that summed up a bitter tournament.
Muslera's Third Blunder Ends Uruguay's World Cup
Fernando Muslera, 40, had already made two costly errors before Thursday's match. His failure to stop Baena's shot from close range proved fatal. At halftime, he asked to come off. Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa confirmed: "He is the one who decided to leave," The Independent reported. Sergio Rochet replaced him for the second half.
The Independent noted Muslera became the first goalkeeper since 1966 to commit three goal-leading errors in a single World Cup. Minutes before the halftime whistle, Uruguay lost Manuel Ugarte to a stretcher, after a collision with teammate Mathías Olivera. The injury is feared to be an ACL tear, which could sideline him for nine to twelve months, according to Manchester Evening News.
Bielsa Accepts Blame as Uruguay's Golden Era Ends
After the match, Bielsa was blunt. "The blame is on me. I'm the one responsible for the disappointing work that I did. I had a group of quality players," he told reporters, according to NDTV Sports. His contract expired with the elimination, and analysts expect he will not return as Uruguay's coach.
Reports suggest a toxic atmosphere inside the squad. Senior players Federico Valverde and Rodrigo Bentancur reportedly clashed with Bielsa over his grueling training methods and rigid 4-3-3 system. Uruguay entered the tournament ranked 19th by FIFA. They leave with one win, one draw, and two defeats across their last two World Cups. Agustín Canobbio's red card in the 90th minute, for a reckless lunge on Pau Cubarsí, was a fitting end, per Reuters.
Cape Verde Make History With Three Draws and Zero Wins
Cape Verde needed only a draw against Saudi Arabia in Houston to advance. They got it — a 0-0 result that confirmed Uruguay's exit and made the Blue Sharks the smallest nation ever to reach a World Cup knockout stage, according to Sportsnet. Their goalkeeper Vozinha, also 40, kept three clean sheets and gained over 16 million Instagram followers during the group stage.
Cape Verde's three-point tally came from draws of 0-0 versus Spain, 2-2 versus Uruguay, and 0-0 versus Saudi Arabia. They did not win a single game. That was still enough to finish second. They will now face defending champions Argentina in Miami on July 3, per AP.
Spain's 34-Game Unbeaten Run Carries Into Knockouts
Spain extended their unbeaten run to 34 games across all competitions. Baena said after the match: "We competed very well... I'm very proud of all the work that we have done." Coach Luis de la Fuente confirmed that Yéremy Pino, who entered as a substitute in the 66th minute, likely broke his collarbone in the 87th minute after a heavy fall. Spain had used all their substitutions by then, per News4JAX.
Spain will face either Austria or Algeria on July 2 in Inglewood, California, CBC reported. Nico Williams is also being assessed for a muscle injury ahead of the knockout round. Despite the injury concerns, Spain are the only team in Group H to win multiple games, and they go into the next stage as heavy favorites.
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