Valverde takes the blame as Uruguay's World Cup ends quietly

Valverde: I wasn't up to it

Federico Valverde did not hide. The captain took the World Cup exit on his shoulders, publicly, no excuses. "I know I wasn't up to it," he said. That is the kind of honesty that hurts to hear and demands respect in equal measure. Your captain is not deflecting.

Giménez played through a swollen ankle

José María Giménez shared images of his ankle after the tournament. It was visibly swollen. He apologised to fans and added, "neither ego nor ambition blinds me." The defender played through pain and then showed the receipts.

A quiet return, a low-key exit

Maxi Araújo was seen leaving the airport in the back of a pickup truck with his family. That image sums up the mood. Draws with Spain and Cape Verde sent Uruguay home at the group stage. The only sliver: new signing Víctor Muñoz watched Spain advance from the bench, a face for the future.

Fan-reaktioner

Sixty years to the day, a fan on r/soccer posted the BBC and ITV coverage intro from the 1966 World Cup opener: England 0–0 Uruguay at Wembley. The thread is nostalgic, not bitter, a reminder that this fixture has history. See the post.