Uruguay bow out as Spain finish Group H leaders

Spain secured first place in 2026 World Cup Group H with a 1-0 victory over Uruguay in Guadalajara. Alejandro Baena scored in the 42nd minute, and Spain protected its lead through the second half without making a defensive mistake.

Uruguay lost Manuel Ugarte to injury late in the first half and later saw Agustín Canobbio sent off with a straight red card in stoppage time. The result left Uruguay on two points. Although it finished third in the group, the South American side did not rank among the best third-placed teams and exited the tournament.

Spain reached seven points and advanced to the last 32. The team coached by Luis de la Fuente will face the winner of the Austria-Algeria matchup in the knockout round.

The match also brought a record for Fernando Muslera. By making his 19th World Cup appearance, the experienced Uruguay goalkeeper moved past Brazil great Claudio Taffarel to become the South American goalkeeper with the most appearances in the tournament’s history. Muslera was replaced by Sergio Rochet at the start of the second half.