Uruguay’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign ended in disappointment after a last-group-stage defeat to Spain on June 27 in Guadalajara, Mexico. The South American team failed to record a single win in the tournament, drawing their first two matches against Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde before losing 1-0 to the European champions. This result left Uruguay at the bottom of Group H with two points, as newcomer Cape Verde advanced alongside Spain.

Following the elimination, Uruguay’s coach Marcelo Bielsa took full responsibility for the team’s underwhelming performance. The Argentine, whose contract with the Uruguayan Football Association was set to expire after the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, expressed a somber assessment of his tenure. Bielsa acknowledged that despite three years with the national team, he left “nothing” meaningful behind for Uruguayan soccer, citing a lack of significant results, including a fourth-place finish in the World Cup qualifiers and a third-place finish in the Copa América. He reflected on the failure to translate the quality of his players into more substantial progress during the tournament and lamented the team’s misfortune despite several solid performances.

The reaction to Uruguay’s exit was not limited to Bielsa’s own statements. Former national team captain Diego Lugano publicly criticized Bielsa’s coaching, placing blame squarely on the head coach for the early exit. Lugano accused Bielsa of creating a dysfunctional atmosphere and failing to connect with the players, stating that the team lacked proper guidance. The retired defender highlighted reports of internal dissent prior to the final match against Spain, including complaints about Bielsa’s tactical approach and the intensity of training sessions, which allegedly sparked a player mutiny. Lugano, who captained Uruguay to the 2010 World Cup semi-finals, called Bielsa’s appointment a mistake and urged the national federation not to repeat it in the future.

During the tournament, Uruguay was led by captain Federico Valverde of Real Madrid. Despite the efforts of the squad, the team struggled to find cohesion and consistency under Bielsa’s management. The coach’s tenure, marked by both high-profile matches and controversy, concluded amid widespread disappointment among the players, staff, and supporters. Bielsa’s farewell remarks conveyed a tone of regret and accountability as he prepared to step down, while voices like Lugano’s underscored the divisions surrounding his leadership and the challenges facing Uruguay’s soccer development moving forward.