Uruguay federation cancels charter flight after World Cup exit -- reports

Uruguay’s football federation canceled the squad’s scheduled charter flight after the team’s World Cup exit, according to multiple reports in Uruguayan media. After departing North America following group-stage elimination, the players were reportedly meant to fly from the training base in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, to Montevideo, but instead had to take commercial flights home. Uruguay finished the tournament ranked No. 16 by FIFA and was the highest-rated team among those that failed to reach the round of 32. La Celeste opened Group H with a 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia, then let a second-half lead slip in a 2-2 draw with World Cup debutant Cape Verde. In the final group match, a goalkeeper error helped produce a 1-0 loss to Spain on Friday. Captain Jose Maria Gimenez, who did not play any of the three matches, apologized to fans. Coach Marcelo Bielsa criticized outcomes, saying earlier results in qualifiers and Copa América meant little without tournament success.