Manuel Ugarte could be facing a long spell on the sidelines after sustaining a knee ligament injury during Uruguay’s 1-0 World Cup defeat by Spain.
The 25-year-old Manchester United player was carried off on a stretcher shortly before half-time after appearing to twist awkwardly while closing down the Spain midfielder Pedri.
United did not confirm whether he injured his anterior cruciate or medial collateral ligament. A torn ACL is generally considered a far more serious injury than an MCL tear, usually requiring surgery and many months of rehabilitation.
“Assessment of the injury is ongoing to determine the best course of treatment and the rehabilitation timescale,” United said in a statement.
Ugarte, who started all three of Uruguay’s World Cup group games, was distraught, tugging his shirt over his face as he was carried off.
“We will continue working together through the evaluation process to later confirm the full extent and severity of the injury,” Uruguay’s football federation said.
The two-time World Cup champions were eliminated with the defeat, finishing third in Group H on two points.
The injury is another blow for Ugarte, whose United career has yet to gain momentum since he joined in a deal worth €50m from Paris Saint-Germain. He started eight Premier League matches in 2025-26 and only once during United’s final 16 league games.
