Ugarte stretchered off with knee injury as Uruguay face Spain at World Cup

Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte was stretchered off during Uruguay’s World Cup group-stage match against Spain after sustaining what appeared to be a serious knee injury.

The incident occurred moments before Spain opened the scoring, when Ugarte and team-mate Mathias Olivera both challenged for the same ball. Olivera got there first and, in the follow-through, fell onto Ugarte’s outstretched leg. Ugarte immediately cried out in pain and was quickly attended to by medical staff before being carried off the pitch on a stretcher.

The Uruguayan was visibly distressed as he left the field, and was photographed with his shirt pulled over his head. Spain took advantage of the disruption, with Alex Baena’s low effort bouncing over goalkeeper Fernando Muslera to give the Europeans the lead while Uruguay’s players were still seeking to have play stopped.

The nature of the collision — an accidental clash between two team-mates rather than a foul by an opponent — adds a cruel dimension to the injury. Ugarte had been one of Uruguay’s key figures in midfield heading into the tournament.

The full extent of the injury had not been confirmed at the time of writing, but the manner in which he was removed from the field raised immediate concerns about his availability for the remainder of Uruguay’s World Cup campaign.