Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente expressed pride in his team following their 1–0 victory over Uruguay in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group H match, commending the squad’s unity, discipline, and composure under pressure.
This marks Spain’s first World Cup win against Uruguay, after two previous draws. Alex Baena of La Roja was awarded Player of the Match.
“Every day, I am proud of this team. This family surprises me time and again with its competitiveness and solidarity. We have achieved something very difficult and what awaits us will be even more so. Now it’s time to rest,” de la Fuente stated.
The Spain coach highlighted the team’s versatility and collective strength, emphasizing the players’ ability to adapt to various situations.
“The great wealth of this team is that all the players can contribute something more or something different. All the footballers are capable of adapting to the needs of the game and the group,” he said.
Reflecting on the match, de la Fuente praised his side’s composure amid a challenging encounter and their discipline throughout.
“We have risen to the occasion in a match of the highest demand, with a lot of toughness, and we haven’t fallen into provocations. The assessment of the match is very favourable. We have done what we had to do. I’m happy,” the coach added.
Spain controlled possession for much of the game and broke the deadlock just before half-time when Baena responded to a low cross from Marcos Llorente inside the box, with his shot slipping past Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera.
Muslera was replaced by Sergio Rochet at half-time as Uruguay sought to recover.
Despite Uruguay’s strong push in the second half, Spain maintained control with composed passing. Ferran Torres nearly doubled the lead late in the match, hitting the crossbar.
The game concluded negatively for Uruguay as Canobbio received a red card for a late challenge on Pau Cubarsi, marking a difficult tournament for the South American team.
Group H standings show Spain finished with two wins, one draw and no losses from three matches. Cabo Verde recorded three draws, while Uruguay ended with no wins, two losses and one draw. Saudi Arabia’s record was no wins, two losses and one draw.
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