Spain secured top spot in Group H and condemned Uruguay to a shock early World Cup exit with a narrow 1-0 victory in their final group match on Friday.

Álex Baena’s first-half strike proved enough for the European champions, who finished the group unbeaten on seven points and advanced to the round of 32 as group winners.

For Uruguay, however, the defeat marked a disappointing end to their campaign as the two-time world champions departed the tournament without a single victory from their three group matches.

The decisive moment arrived in the 42nd minute when Baena’s effort from inside the penalty area slipped through the grasp of veteran goalkeeper Fernando Muslera. The 40-year-old, who had already endured a difficult tournament, failed to deal with the shot and watched helplessly as the ball crossed the line.

It was Muslera’s third costly mistake of the tournament, prompting Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa to substitute the experienced goalkeeper at halftime.

Spain controlled much of the contest and rarely allowed Uruguay to build sustained pressure as Luis de la Fuente’s side completed the group stage with two wins and a draw.

The result means Spain will face the runners-up from Group J — either Algeria or Austria — in the round of 32 in Inglewood, California.

Uruguay’s elimination is one of the biggest surprises of the tournament. Ranked 19th in the world, they become the highest-ranked nation to exit the competition during the group stage.

In the group’s other match, Cape Verde earned a goalless draw against Saudi Arabia to finish second with three points. The tournament debutants edged both Uruguay and Saudi Arabia by a single point to secure a historic place in the knockout stage.

While Spain continue their quest for a second World Cup title, Uruguay leave the tournament empty-handed, bringing an unexpected end to one of South America’s proudest football nations.