Spain tops Group H as Uruguay exits World Cup after Muslera error

Spain left Guadalajara with more than three points and a place atop Group H. The 1-0 win over Uruguay sent Luis de la Fuente’s side into the next phase with a perfect reward for a disciplined performance, while Marcelo Bielsa’s team exited the tournament with only two points and no victories.

The decisive moment came after a Fernando Muslera error that opened the door for Spain’s winning goal. Uruguay spent much of the match chasing the game and never found the response it needed, a painful contrast to Spain’s control and composure in a contest that turned on one breakdown in a match of small margins.

For Spain, the result reinforced the value of de la Fuente’s squad planning. The 26-man list he unveiled on May 25 included Pau Cubarsí and Fabián Ruiz, two players who again underlined why they were trusted for a tournament that began with Spain’s opener against Cabo Verde in Atlanta on June 15. Cubarsí’s presence in the back line and Ruiz’s role in midfield reflected a team built to absorb pressure, keep structure and still find the moments that decide group-stage football.

That depth matters now because Spain did not need a scramble to qualify or a single star to rescue it. It finished first in Group H and advanced with momentum, a clean sign that de la Fuente’s selections have given the side enough balance to handle knockout-stage demands. The win in Mexico also showed a squad comfortable enough to win without needing a chaotic finale.

Uruguay’s elimination carried a heavier sting. Bielsa’s team repeated the failure of Qatar 2022 by going out in the group stage again, and the comparison will sharpen scrutiny around whether this was simply a bad night or evidence of a wider slide. Agustín Canobbio’s straight red card in stoppage time for a foul on Cubarsí summed up the frustration, a late flashpoint that only deepened the sense of a campaign slipping away.