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DON'T MISS A MOMENT OF THE WORLD CUP

Spain player ratings vs Uruguay: Fernando Muslera's costly mistake allows Alex Baena to secure victory for the reigning European champions and send them to the top of their World Cup group.

The most memorable image from Spain’s World Cup triumph over Uruguay was not one of celebration, nor their trademark tiki-taka passing or a Lamine Yamal rainbow flick. Instead, it was the sight of substitute goalkeeper Sergio Rochet coming on for Fernando Muslera at halftime, after the veteran keeper’s blunder paved the way for Alex Baena to send Spain to the summit of their group standings.

Uruguay’s woes did not end there. Muslera’s error handed Baena the decisive goal, sealing a 1-0 win for Spain that not only placed them at the top of the group but also confirmed Uruguay’s early exit from the tournament. The defeat capped a disappointing campaign for Uruguay, marred by a series of mistakes from Muslera across their three World Cup fixtures.

With the result, Spain clinched the top spot in Group H, though not quite in the dominant fashion they might have hoped for. Friday’s group-stage encounter was a tense and physical contest, featuring strong challenges, a late red card, and most crucially, Baena’s goal that separated the two sides.

The breakthrough came moments before the interval. Marcos Llorente played Baena through, and the midfielder advanced into the centre of the box before firing a seemingly harmless shot toward goal. Muslera misjudged it completely, failing to parry the effort and instead pushing it into the side netting—an error that effectively handed Spain the three points and sealed Uruguay’s fate.

Uruguay will look back on their mistakes across all three matches, including this one, with deep regret, as both of their earlier games had also ended in draws. Spain, on the other hand, will count themselves fortunate and now turn their attention to a Round of 32 clash against either Austria or Algeria. Improvement will be needed, but for now, they remain alive in the competition—something Uruguay can no longer say.

GOAL provides the player ratings for Spain from Guadalajara...

Goalkeeper & Defence

Unai Simón (6/10): Was largely untested until Uruguay’s first effort on target arrived in the 85th minute, which he saved confidently.

Marc Cucurella (6/10): Not particularly strong defensively and contributed little in possession to compensate.

Aymeric Laporte (7/10): Displayed his usual composure at the back, though slightly less assured than Cubarsí.

Pau Cubarsí (9/10): Outstanding throughout. Did not make a single mistake all game.

Marcos Llorente (7/10): Effective on the right flank and delivered the cross that led to Baena’s goal, earning him an assist.

Midfield

Pedri (7/10): Elegant on the ball as always. Endured several fouls and was sensibly withdrawn to avoid injury.

Rodri (8/10): The heartbeat of Spain’s midfield. Led the team in touches and barely misplaced a pass. Not flashy, but highly reliable.

Mikel Merino (6/10): The least influential of the midfield trio. Neither poor nor particularly impressive.

Attack

Alex Baena (7/10): Benefited from a goalkeeper’s mistake for his goal, but they all count the same. Contributed little else before being substituted after a yellow card.

Mikel Oyarzabal (6/10): Largely ineffective, with his only attempt coming from long range. Spent most of his time deeper than ideal.

Lamine Yamal (6/10): Displayed plenty of flair but lacked end product. Produced good dribbles and entered dangerous areas but failed to make a decisive impact.

Substitutes & Manager

Dani Olmo (5/10): Missed a golden opportunity created by Yamal. Though the ball bounced awkwardly, his attempt should have at least tested the goalkeeper.

Fabián Ruiz (6/10): Replaced Pedri and offered similar control in midfield. Helped Spain retain possession effectively.

Yeremi Pino (5/10): Struggled to get involved and had very few touches.

Ferran Torres (5/10): Wasted a clear chance to seal the contest. A forward simply cannot afford to send that effort over the bar.

Nico Williams (N/A): Had too little time to influence proceedings.

Luis de la Fuente (7/10): Job done. Secured the win without drama, which is encouraging, though the performance lacked conviction and leaves questions heading into the knockout stage.