OneFootball
·3 de junio de 2026
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·3 de junio de 2026
Uruguayan supporters and Giorgian de Arrascaeta fans can breathe a sigh of relief.
Despite the scare caused by an injury to his right calf, the midfielder will not be removed from La Celeste’s squad for the 2026 World Cup.
The player’s stay was officially confirmed by the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) this Wednesday (6/3).
🩺 The Injury and the Decision
Arrascaeta felt the physical issue at the start of training last Tuesday (6/2) and underwent imaging tests that diagnosed a grade 2 injury in his right calf.
The situation immediately sparked debate over a possible cut, since head coach Marcelo Bielsa had until next Wednesday (6/10), the eve of the World Cup opener, to call up a replacement from the preliminary list of 55 names.
However, the Uruguayan delegation chose to trust the player’s recovery. According to the AUF statement, echoed on social media, the decision was backed by the medical department, which projected the player’s return for the decisive stretch of the tournament.
"The AUF announces that player Giorgian De Arrascaeta will remain with the national team delegation (...). The medical department guarantees the midfielder’s availability for the knockout stage of the Cup."
🇧🇷 'Mirror' Strategy with Neymar
Arrascaeta’s case is very similar to the situation unfolding behind the scenes of the Brazilian national team.
Brazil’s No. 10, Neymar, also suffered a similar muscle problem in his calf, but was not cut by coach Carlo Ancelotti, receiving a vote of confidence to recover in time to play in the decisive World Cup matches.
🗓️ La Celeste’s Path
As the midfielder is only expected to return for a possible knockout-round appearance, Arrascaeta is likely to miss Uruguay throughout the entire group stage of the tournament. Check out Uruguay’s Group schedule:
June 15: Uruguay vs Saudi Arabia – 7 p.m. (Brasília time) | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
June 21: Uruguay vs Cape Verde | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
June 26: Uruguay vs Spain | Guadalajara
📣 Full statement
"The AUF announces that player Giorgian De Arrascaeta will remain with the senior national team delegation in the United States.
The national team’s medical department guarantees the midfielder’s availability for the knockout stage of the Cup.
#TheTeamThatUnitesUs"

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.
📸 Ryan Pierse - 2026 Getty Images







































