Spain Scrape Through Against Uruguay in a Forgettable Yet Mission-Accomplished Night

A single strike from Álex Baena proved sufficient for Spain to secure a 1–0 win over Uruguay and top Group H, though it was far from an impressive showing on Friday.

La Roja had appeared to rediscover their rhythm following a commanding 4–0 triumph over Saudi Arabia in their previous outing, but any momentum was quickly lost in Guadalajara. Despite controlling the ball from the first whistle, Luis de la Fuente's side were uninspired and complacent, failing to generate much of a threat against a Uruguay team that had yet to register a victory at the 2026 World Cup.

A costly goalkeeping error from Fernando Muslera handed Baena his opening goal of the tournament in the 42nd minute, and that proved to be all Spain required to pocket three points. La Celeste, meanwhile, saw their World Cup journey come to an end, punctuated by a red card for Agustín Canobbio.

Warning signs are certainly flashing after yet another underwhelming display from Spain, and the defending European champions will be eager to deliver a far more convincing performance when the round of 32 arrives.

The Moment That Changed the Game

Having netted four goals in their previous match, Spain would have been hoping to continue in the same vein. However, Uruguay's disciplined and physical backline posed a far greater challenge than Saudi Arabia had. La Roja struggled to carve out meaningful opportunities in the attacking third during the first half, leaning too heavily on Lamine Yamal to conjure something out of nothing.

De La Fuente's men failed to register a single shot on target in the first 40 minutes. They appeared set to head into the break deflated, until Uruguay goalkeeper Muslera altered the course of the match with a costly blunder.

After latching onto a delivery from Marcos Llorente, Baena unleashed a fairly straightforward effort directly at Muslera. The 40-year-old got both hands to it as he dropped to the ground, but the ball slipped through his grasp and into the net.

The howler handed Spain the advantage and ultimately all three points on an evening where the reigning European champions barely looked deserving of the result.

Spain Player Ratings vs. Uruguay (4-3-3)

*Ratings Provided by FotMob*

GK: Unai Simón—7.7: Far from reassuring between the sticks. Spilled the ball twice early on in moments that could have proven costly. Finished with two saves on the night.

RB: Marcos Llorente—8.3: Stood out in transition, using his pace to surge past Uruguay defenders and deliver dangerous balls into the box, including the cross that Baena converted.

CB: Pau Cubarsí—7.5: Was caught out by runners in behind early on but recovered well. Didn't need to be at his sharpest to keep Darwin Núñez in check.

CB: Aymeric Laporte—7.9: Composed when carrying the ball out from the back, though his long-range distribution left something to be desired. Won his aerial duels convincingly.

LB: Marc Cucurella—7.2: Exposed by the pace of Núñez at times. Required a conversation with Pedri to reorganize defensively, which he managed in the second half.

CM: Mikel Merino—6.5: It won't appear in the stats, but his sliding challenge to win back possession played a role in setting up Baena's goal. Beyond that, his influence on the game was minimal.

CM: Rodri—7.2: Not a standout performance by any means. Kept things simple with short, unspectacular passes throughout, but fulfilled his defensive duties. Consistently won the ball back to help Spain retain control.

CM: Pedri—7.5: Displayed his technical quality with slick touches that helped dictate the tempo, but it wasn't among his more dazzling outings. Took a physical beating from the Uruguayan side.

RW: Lamine Yamal—6.9: Posed a threat when given room on the right flank, but lacked a cutting edge in the final moments. Lost the ball too easily and found the physicality of Uruguay difficult to handle.

ST: Mikel Oyarzabal—6.3: Barely got a look-in during a thoroughly forgettable performance. Managed just one shot, which missed the target, in 76 minutes on the field.

LW: Álex Baena—7.6: The beneficiary of Muslera's blunder for his goal. That moment rescued him from what had otherwise been a completely flat display.

SUB: Dani Olmo (60' for Merino)—6.8: Immediately injected some energy into Spain's play after coming on. Should have found the net just after the hour mark.

SUB: Fabián Ruiz (60' for Pedri)—6.6: Slotted into midfield without making a fuss. Tidy and composed in possession.

SUB: Yéremy Pino (66' for Baena)—5.8: Completed nine passes, each one more forgettable than the one before.

SUB: Nico Williams (76' for Pedri)—6.3: A fiery exchange with Canobbio was the most notable moment of his time on the pitch.

SUB: Ferran Torres (76' for Oyarzabal)—6.6: Found himself through on goal in the closing stages but failed to even test the goalkeeper.

Subs not used: David Raya (GK), Joan García (GK), Eric Garcia, Marc Pubill, Pedro Porro, Alex Grimaldo, Martín Zubimendi, Gavi, Borja Iglesias, Víctor Muñoz

What the Ratings Tell Us

The Numbers That Explain Spain's Lackluster Win

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