Spain's early lead hinges on Baena after Muslera's blunder

Álex Baena gave Spain a 0‑1 lead against Uruguay at the FIFA World Cup on 27 June 2026 in Guadalajara, scoring after 42 minutes when goalkeeper Fernando Muslera mishandled the ball. The match, refereed by Ismail Elfath, saw the Spanish side dominate possession early on. Manuel Ugarte of Manchester United was forced off with a suspected ligament injury at 45+1 minutes and was replaced by Nicolás De La Cruz of Flamengo. Juan Sanabria received a yellow card at 54 minutes, followed by Guillermo Varela of Uruguay at 58 minutes, while Federico Valverde of Real Sociedad was substituted for Federico Viñas at 57 minutes. Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay entered the game needing a win to stay in the tournament, having only two points from two draws. Spain, already on four points, were virtually assured of progressing to the knockout stage, with a further victory the next night guaranteeing the group win.

Rodri’s Spain march on as Uruguay fall short in Guadalajara

Luis de la Fuente praised his squad, saying, "I know only how to play to win," and added, "That draw made us better." He also highlighted Lamine Yamal’s development, calling the 18‑year‑old a "genius in the making," while noting contributions from Mikel Merino, Dani Olmo, Pedro Porro, Marcos Llorente, Mikel Oyarzabal, Pedri, Rodri, Cubarsi and Laporte. Sergio Rochet of Uruguay replaced Muslera after the error, and the match featured players from clubs such as Crystal Palace, Sporting Lissabon, Al Hilal, and Flamengo. With Spain already secured a place in the next round, the result cemented their position at the top of the group.