Álex Baena's Crucial Goal Secures Spain's Lead Against Uruguay
Álex Baena stepped up when Spain needed him most.
With 42 minutes gone in a tense, nervous Group H clash against Uruguay at the 2026 World Cup, the midfielder broke the deadlock, guiding a bouncing strike beyond Fernando Muslera and into the corner to give La Roja a precious 1-0 lead.
It was not a thunderbolt. It did not need to be. The ball skipped awkwardly in front of Muslera, the veteran goalkeeper stretching but unable to claw it away as it kissed the net and released a surge of Spanish relief.
This is a game Spain simply has to win. Top of Group H with four points, Luis de la Fuente’s side came into the night knowing victory would seal automatic passage to the round of 32. Anything less would drag them into dangerous arithmetic.
They arrived with a curious record. A ruthless 4-0 dismantling of Saudi Arabia had showcased their attacking depth. A stunning scoreless draw against Cape Verde had exposed their fragility when the final touch deserts them. That stalemate left a faint doubt hanging over a squad crowned European champions in 2024 and still carrying the weight of their 2010 World Cup triumph.
Baena’s goal cut through that doubt.
Around him, Spain’s XI looked built to control and to probe: Unai Simón in goal; a back line of Marcos Llorente, Pau Cubarsí, Aymeric Laporte and Marc Cucurella; Rodri wearing the armband and anchoring midfield alongside Mikel Merino and Pedri; Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal flanking Baena in an attacking trio designed to stretch and torment Uruguay.
The pattern of their group tells the story of a slow-burn campaign. June 15 brought that goalless frustration against Cape Verde. On June 21, the response: four unanswered goals past Saudi Arabia. Now, on June 26 against Uruguay, Baena has nudged them to the brink of the knockouts.
La Roja know better than most how tournaments are built on such moments. One strike, one misjudged bounce, one goalkeeper beaten by inches. If this goal becomes the launchpad for another deep World Cup run, it will be remembered as the instant Spain’s campaign truly caught fire.
