Spain edged Uruguay 1-0 to secure their place in the next round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in their final Group H match at Guadalajara Stadium in Mexico.
Alex Baena scored the only goal of the match in the first half. Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera allowed the ball to slip past him and was substituted at halftime.
Lamine Yamal almost provided an assist that went just wide, but he did not score in the game.
Uruguay midfielder Manuel Ugarte was taken off on a stretcher in the first half after an awkward step, and the extent of his injury was not known.
The result knocked Uruguay out of the tournament and sent Cape Verde into the round of 32, after the island team drew all three of its group matches, including the final game against Saudi Arabia.
Uruguay, which won the World Cup in 1930 and 1950, has still not returned to winning the title. It entered the tournament ranked 16th and is the highest-ranked team to be eliminated.
Spain, which won the World Cup in 2010 and the European Championship in 2024, is one of the favorites to win the tournament again, and its campaign continues.
