The 25-year-old was forced off on a stretcher shortly before half-time at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara after twisting awkwardly while attempting to close down Spain midfielder Pedri. The full extent of the injury remained unclear, with United waiting for further medical assessments.

United confirmed that Ugarte's injury was still being evaluated, with the club saying: "Assessment of the injury is ongoing to determine the best course of treatment and the rehabilitation timescale."

The midfielder appeared devastated as he left the pitch, pulling his shirt over his face after realising he could be facing a significant setback. Uruguay's football federation also confirmed that further tests would be needed before a final diagnosis could be made.

"We will continue working together through the evaluation process to later confirm the full extent and severity of the injury," the federation said in a statement.

The injury added to a difficult period for Ugarte, who had struggled to establish himself as a regular starter at Manchester United since joining from Paris Saint-Germain in a deal worth 50 million euros.

After arriving at Old Trafford with a reputation as a strong defensive midfielder, Ugarte started only eight Premier League matches during the 2025/26 season and featured in the starting XI just once in United's final 16 league games.

For Uruguay, the injury came during a disappointing World Cup campaign, with the two-time champions eliminated after finishing third in Group H with two points following their defeat to Spain.

Teams	M	W	L	PTS	NET RR
Kenya	7	7	0	14	3.456
Uganda	7	6	1	12	3.715
Rwanda	8	4	4	8	0.599
Botswana	7	1	6	2	-2.756
Sierra Leone	7	0	7	0	-5.021

Finished Africa Continental Cup