Manuel Ugarte Eyes First World Cup Appearance Tonight

manuel ugarte is in line to make his first FIFA World Cup appearance tonight after Marcelo Bielsa named him in Uruguay’s 26-man squad. The 25-year-old Manchester United midfielder enters the opener with more than 31 senior international caps and a role that points straight at the middle of the pitch.

Uruguay’s squad was officially announced on 31 May 2026, and Ugarte’s selection gives Bielsa a defensive midfielder he can use as an anchor. He has spent the past two seasons at Manchester United, and his profile fits the job Uruguay are expected to ask of him against a team playing in the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

Bielsa’s Midfield Choice

Ugarte’s path to this point has been quick. His international career began in September 2021, and he scored his first senior goal for Uruguay on 15 November 2024 against Colombia in a World Cup qualifying match. That gives Bielsa a player who has already handled senior international pressure before reaching his first World Cup squad.

The selection also comes after a busy club spell. Ugarte transferred from Paris Saint-Germain in August 2024 at a market valuation of around 25 million euros, then made 45 appearances for Manchester United during the 2024-25 season. He is a 25-year-old defensive midfielder, and that workload at club level is part of why he remains an option for Uruguay in a demanding opener.

Manchester United Form

There is a complication in the club form that shadows the call-up. Under Ruben Amorim, Ugarte struggled to find his footing in the 2025-26 season, so Uruguay are not getting a midfielder arriving off a clean run of form. Even so, Bielsa has kept him in the frame, which suggests the national team values his ability to break up attacks and move the ball forward.

For Uruguay, the immediate question is not whether Ugarte belongs in the squad. It is whether he goes straight into the opening match and gives them control in a midfield role they already appear ready to trust. Tonight offers the first chance to see how Bielsa uses him on the World Cup stage.

Uruguay Opening Match

If Ugarte steps on the field, it will be his first FIFA World Cup appearance and another marker in a career that has moved from September 2021 to this tournament in a short span. Uruguay named him with the expectation that he can help shape the opening match, and his place in the squad suggests that role is already part of the plan.