Muslera breaks silence after Uruguay's World Cup 2026 elimination: 'I apologize to the Uruguayan people'

Fernando Muslera has broken his silence following Uruguay's group stage elimination from the 2026 World Cup, taking responsibility for the team's performance. The goalkeeper, who became the most capped Uruguayan player in World Cup history during this tournament, expressed deep regret after key errors under the crossbar contributed to their early exit.

"I apologize to all the Uruguayan people," Muslera stated, visibly affected, after the 1-0 loss to Spain in Guadalajara, a result that sealed Uruguay's fate with just two points in Group H. He added a message of self-criticism, reflecting on a campaign that fell short of expectations. "I never imagined suffering so much for this sport, especially with all the work I put in and how I prepared... It falls on me for not having had a good World Cup. I apologized to them. I apologize to all the Uruguayan people."

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I apologize to all the Uruguayan people.

Muslera's final World Cup match ended with Uruguay's defeat to Spain. He had previously been criticized for his role in draws against Saudi Arabia (1-1) and Cape Verde (2-2), results that complicated Uruguay's path in the group. The decisive moment against Spain came in the 42nd minute when Álex Baena's shot found the net after Muslera failed to clear the ball securely.

Muslera, 40, did not return for the second half, with coach Marcelo Bielsa confirming the goalkeeper decided to leave the field. Sergio Rochet replaced him, having been a regular starter during the qualifying process and at other points in the tournament. Uruguay concluded their World Cup campaign with only two points, becoming the sole South American team eliminated in the group stage.

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I never imagined suffering so much for this sport, especially with all the work I put in and how I prepared... It falls on me for not having had a good World Cup. I apologized to them. I apologize to all the Uruguayan people.