The story of Fernando Muslera at the FIFA World Cups is, perhaps, one of the most polarising arcs in South American football history. Once considered an impenetrable wall behind Uruguay's golden generation, the veteran goalkeeper’s international career came to a heartbreaking end in the group stage.
Muslera had been Uruguay’s number one, playing every single minute of their 2010, 2014, and 2018 World Cup campaigns. Till the 2026 FIFA World Cup happened. The 40-year-old became the first goalkeeper in recorded World Cup history (dating back to 1966) to commit three errors leading to an opposition goal in a single tournament edition. He committed costly mistakes in all three group matches—against Saudi Arabia (1–1), Cabo Verde (2–2), and finally against European champions Spain (0–1).
In the final Group H match in Guadalajara, Mexico, Muslera fluffed a weak, routine strike from Spain's Álex Baena in the 42nd minute, letting it squirm through his hands. Probably overcome by the guilt, Muslera asked manager Marcelo Bielsa to substitute him at half-time. He was replaced by Sergio Rochet, as Uruguay crashed out of the tournament with just two points – for the second consecutive time.
The mistake brought back memories of his costly error against Antoine Griezmann in the 2018 World Cup quarterfinal defeat to France.
2010 heroics and Copa América glory
Despite the lows, Muslera was one of the pillars of Óscar Tabárez’s golden generation. Two tournaments ensured his place in the Uruguay’s hall of fame.
2010 FIFA World Cup (South Africa):
Muslera became a national hero as he kept three consecutive clean sheets in the group stage and, in the quarterfinal penalty shootout against Ghana, saved spot-kicks from John Mensah and Dominic Adiyiah to carry La Celeste to help Uruguay reach their first World Cup semifinal since 1970.
2011 Copa América (Argentina):
Muslera was instrumental in Uruguay lifting their 15th continental title. His defining moment was the quarterfinal against hosts Argentina, where he single-handedly kept Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez at bay. The penalty save against Tevez in the shootout has been part of Uruguayan folklore since.
The forced return
Marcelo Bielsa took over as the head coach of Uruguay in 2023. Following the post-2022 debacle, the veterans began moving away. Muslera officially retired from the national team in 2024, with Rochet taking his place. However, ahead of the World Cup campaign, Bielsa made the big call to bring Muslera out of retirement, and handing him a place in the starting XI based on his strong club form with Galatasaray. The 40-year-old played for the club for 14 seasons, after which he joined Estudiantes La Plata last year. He won footballer of the year and goalkeeper of the season twice with Galatasaray and also won eight Turkish Championships, five Turkish Cups and six Turkish Super Cups for them.
However, Bielsa’s move backfired as his demanding, vertical football left an ageing goalkeeper dangerously exposed. Following the World Cup exit, the coach took full responsibility for the team's elimination. "What do I leave for Uruguayan soccer?" he said. "Nothing, because any contribution that a coach might make to soccer in a country after three years of work never truly takes hold if results aren't achieved. Fourth place in the qualifiers didn't count for much, and a third-place finish in the Copa America didn't, either. And there is obviously no need to spell it out after what happened now. A tenure that left nothing behind."
At 19th in the FIFA rankings, Uruguay, the World Cup winner in 1930 and 1950, are the highest-ranked nation to be eliminated so far.
Muslera might be remembered for his costly mistakes this year, but history will probably be kind to one of Uruguay’s greatest goalkeepers who represented his nation in more than 130 international games.
