Manuel Ugarte Defended Following Criticism of Uruguay Performance vs Bolivia

Manuel Ugarte, a midfielder for Manchester United, has been the target of criticism following Uruguay’s goalless draw against Bolivia on Tuesday night. The fans of Manchester United have been quick to rally behind Ugarte after the vitriol was directed towards him. An alarmingly high percentage of passes were misplaced by the 23-year-old player during the World Cup qualifier, resulting in a completion rate of only 64%. Additionally, the player lost possession of the ball 14 times and finished in second place in 16 of the 24 duels he participated in.

The former Paris Saint-Germain player has been the target of criticism from a few fans from both his club and his country as a result of his lacklustre performance, as can be seen in the highlights below. On the other hand, a great number of people have come to his defence, pointing out the difficult conditions that had a significant role in his troubles. The match between Uruguay and Argentina was played in El Alto Stadium, which is situated at an astounding 4,150 meters above sea level. Due to the fact that the air was so thin, the playing circumstances were as harsh as they could possibly be. It is quite probable that Ugarte was left gasping for air and struggling to maintain his form in an atmosphere that was unlike anything he had ever encountered before. Due to the extreme nature of the situation, a significant number of Manchester United supporters have come to the side of their midfielder. “Before you jump to troll Manuel Ugarte over a ‘bad’ performance maybe realise that these were the conditions that both teams were facing,” according to a user on X. “El Alto Stadium sits at 4,150 meters above sea level and players had to use oxygen bottles during the match.” One more was added:

“If you want to have a go at Ugarte for taking oxygen, you try playing 90mins at 10,000ft… you won’t last 10 minutes.” Uruguay, the first-ever victors of the World Cup, has not been treated very gently during the first international break of 2025. Just a few days prior, Uruguay had suffered a defeat against Argentina, which resulted in a 1-0 loss. Argentina was playing with ten players. On the other hand, despite the fact that they completed their first 14 qualifiers with 21 points, they continue to hold the third spot in the South American table.

As of right now, they are six points ahead of seventh place, which indicates that they are in a position to be one of the six teams that successfully qualify within their group. Argentina, who are now the reigning champions, are the only South American nation that has already gained assured qualification.