Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa breaks silence on surprising Fernando Muslera substitution vs. Spain

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Uruguay had a forgettable run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite being a favorite to go deep in the knockout stages.

Uruguay faced off against Spain in their final Group H matchup, and it was clear that anything other than a victory would mean trouble for the South Americans.

Well, not only did Uruguay suffer a 1-0 defeat against Spain, but the defeat also exposed a plethora of problems in the team’s lineup, including the goalkeeper position.

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Fernando Muslera subbed off at halftime vs. Spain​

Uruguay and Spain remained in a deadlock for the majority of the first half, until Alex Baena opened the scoring at the 42nd minute.

While Baena’s goal gave Spain a 1-0 lead, Uruguay had plenty of time to make a comeback in the second half.

However, it seemed like the South American side gave up on the game after the opening goal. After all, coach Marcelo Bielsa shocked fans by subbing off starting goalkeeper Fernando Muslera at halftime.

Muslera has struggled with form in the tournament, but no one expected the 40-year-old to give up in the do-or-die game vs. Spain.

Marcelo Bielsa says Fernando Muslera asked to be subbed off​

Considering a recent rift between coach Bielsa and Uruguay’s players, many blamed the manager for the shocking halftime decision.

However, according to Bielsa, it was Muslera’s decision to be subbed off, as revealed in a Fabrizio Romano tweet on X.

“Fernando Muslera asked me to be subbed off at half-time,” Bielsa said.

Being one of the oldest players on the team, Muslera was expected to be a leader for the team. However, this just shows that Muslera gave up on his team and wanted to avoid further humiliation at the hands of Spain.

Read more:

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• Marcelo Bielsa says soccer loses something with World Cup hydration breaks
• USA face backlash as Uruguay World Cup team treated like ‘straight-up suspects’ on side of road

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