Manchester United and Uruguay midfielder Manuel Ugarte suffered a serious knee injury in his nation’s final match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Spain, and looks set for a lengthy rehabilitation process before he can get back on the pitch.
Ugarte, 25, left the match on Friday on a stretcher after an awkward landing. He was visibly upset with the situation as he was carried off in an unfortunate scene for the player. He was out of favor at the club entering the 2025-26 season and struggled to compete
for minutes, but remained an important player for Uruguay going into the tournament.
It hasn’t been an easygoing for the midfielder since joining United in 2024 for roughly £43.1m. There were plenty of reports that he could push for a move away either on loan or a permanent basis, but will now likely spend his time recovering at the team facilities.
David Ornstein of The Athletic reported on Sunday that Ugarte suffered knee ligament damage, which is typically a recovery timeframe of at least six months before returning to full exercises and training.
Ugarte has three years left on his United contract.
