Federico Valverde issues first public statement after Uruguay’s early World Cup elimination: ‘I take ownership of this failure’

Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde issued his first public statement following Uruguay's shock group-stage elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, in which they failed to advance from a group containing Spain, Cape Verde, and Saudi Arabia. Valverde took personal responsibility for the team's failure, stating 'I take ownership of this failure.' The statement was published on July 3, 2026, marking a significant moment of accountability from one of Uruguay's star players.