Man United's Manuel Ugarte stretchered off at World Cup

Manuel Ugarte was carried off on a stretcher as his Uruguay team was knocked out of the World Cup on Friday, with the injured midfielder leaving the field in tears. Ugarte, who represents Manchester United at the club level, collided with teammate Mathias Olivera while the pair chased Spain’s Pedri, sustaining a knee injury after catching his studs in the turf. The 25-year-old received treatment on the field but was unable to continue. To add insult to injury, Spain scored through Alex Baena while he was down, just before half-time, following an error from goalkeeper Fernando Muslera.

As he was removed from the pitch on a stretcher, Ugarte appeared to wipe away tears and buried his face under his shirt. In added time at Mexico’s Estadio Akron, Agustin Canobbio received a straight red card for Uruguay amid a heated conclusion to the match. The 1-0 result ultimately condemned Uruguay to a group-stage exit, with Spain topping the group and Cape Verde advancing in second place. Uruguay finished with only two points, not enough to qualify as one of the eight best third-placed teams.

Ugarte’s injury may hinder any potential transfer this summer, as Manchester United was rumored to consider selling the midfielder. He had made just eight starts in the Premier League last season, with only one of those after Michael Carrick took over as coach. Reports suggested a possible move to Serie A, but it seemed unlikely that United could recoup the £50m they spent on him in 2024. Now, a summer exit looks very improbable.

On the same day, Spain faced its own injury concerns. Substitute Yeremy Pino sustained a suspected broken collarbone after a heavy fall, while Nico Williams was seen limping after the match.