Manchester United fans have been quick to rally behind Manuel Ugarte after the midfielder found himself on the receiving end of criticism following Uruguay’s goalless draw against Bolivia on Tuesday night. The 23-year-old endured a rough outing in the World Cup qualifier, misplacing passes at an alarming rate (completing just 64%), surrendering possession 14 times, and coming out second best in 16 of his 24 duels.
In the aftermath of his underwhelming display (watch his highlights below), a handful of supporters from his club and country have taken aim at the former Paris Saint-Germain man. However, many others have leapt to his defence, pointing to the extreme circumstances that played a major role in his struggles.
Uruguay’s clash took place at El Alto Stadium - perched a staggering 4,150 meters above sea level. With such thin air, the playing conditions were as unforgiving as they come, making it likely that Ugarte was left gasping for both breath and form in an environment unlike anything he had experienced before.
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Why Man United Fans Have Defended Manuel Ugarte
He and his teammates were playing in extreme conditions
The dangers of high altitude are relentless, and while Uruguay aimed to edge closer to World Cup qualification in Bolivia, their players often found themselves pausing - not for tactics, but for oxygen. Watch below:
As a result of such extremities, many Man United supporters have jumped to their midfielder's defence. "Before you jump to troll Manuel Ugarte over a 'bad' performance maybe realise that these were the conditions that both teams were facing," one X user said. "El Alto Stadium sits at 4,150 meters above sea level and players had to use oxygen bottles during the match." Another added:
"If you want to have a go at Ugarte for taking oxygen, you try playing 90mins at 10,000ft... you won't last 10 minutes."
After succumbing to a 1-0 defeat against 10-man Argentina just a few days prior, the first international break of 2025 has not treated Uruguay, the first-ever winners of the World Cup, very nicely. However, after picking up 21 points from their first 14 qualifiers, they remain third in the South American table.
They are currently six points clear of seventh, which means they are poised to be one of the six teams to qualify in their contingent. Reigning champions Argentina are the only South American nation already guaranteed qualification.