Uruguay will be without two of its most important defenders when the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off. Jose Maria Gimenez, the Atletico Madrid center-back, has been benched due to an ankle injury, while Barcelona’s Ronald Araujo has been left out of the squad entirely.
Uruguay’s opening match against Saudi Arabia is scheduled for June 15-16 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, and coach Marcelo Bielsa now faces a significant defensive puzzle.
What happened to Araujo and Gimenez
Gimenez’s ankle issue appears to be a case of caution over courage. The staff reportedly decided against risking their experienced defender in the opener, preferring to keep him available for later stages of the tournament.
Araujo’s situation is more concerning. The Barcelona defender has been dealing with muscle discomfort and calf problems that were serious enough to pull him from the national team camp entirely. He has reportedly traveled back to Barcelona for specialized treatment, training separately from the main group.
