Manchester United star Manuel Ugarte had a quiet outing as Uruguay rounded off their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with a 0-0 draw against Chile on Tuesday.
The Red Devils midfielder returned to Marcelo Bielsa’s starting XI after being dropped to the bench for Uruguay’s 3-0 win over Peru last week but failed to make his presence felt, with local media criticising him for an ‘inconsistent’ display.
Ugarte played the contest in a midfield trio alongside Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde and Tottenham’s Rodrigo Bentancur, registering a 90% pass accuracy, winning two of his seven duels and committing three fouls.
He also made five clearances and two interceptions, had 65 touches and successfully completed two of three long passes.
Uruguay finished the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign fourth among 10 South American teams, with Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil and Paraguay also securing spots in the tournament.
Manuel Ugarte Struggles on Uruguay Duty
Man Utd Manuel Ugarte
Uruguayan newspaper El Observador gave Ugarte a 5/10 for his display in the 0-0 stalemate with Chile and criticised the midfielder for ‘inconsistent’ passes, as well as a ‘massive dive’ in the first half:
“He took over as central midfielder and displayed generous mobility to organize the break, constantly breaking free, and trying to connect forward.
“He took a massive dive in the 38th minute. He was upset after the foul, which resulted in a significant cut, and he committed an unnecessary foul.
“He was inconsistent when passing the ball and only managed one solid break forward. He struggled more than he could have played in the second half.”
Ugarte, who made his Uruguay debut in September 2021, won his 32nd cap on Tuesday night, missing just two of their 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
The 24-year-old midfielder has yet to start for Man United in the Premier League this season, with his sole appearance in the first XI coming in the shock EFL Cup second-round loss to Grimsby Town.
Ugarte made 45 appearances for United last term, scoring two goals and providing six assists, following his arrival from Paris Saint-Germain in a deal worth up to £50.5m.
United sit ninth in the Premier League after three games and will next face Manchester City on Sunday.
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