One of Uruguay’s players was seen sporting a face mask against Saudi Arabia in the FIFA World Cup 2026, leaving fans curious. | Photo Credit: AP

Fans at the Miami Stadium was in for a surprise as players of Uruguay and Cape Verde walked out of the tunnel for their Group H match in the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Monday.

One of the players in the starting 11 of Uruguay was seen wearing a face mask — a blue wearable around the eyes.

Who is the player wearing a face mask in Uruguay vs Cape Verde?

The player wearing a face mask in Uruguay vs Cape Verde is Sebastian Caceres, a 26-year-old centre-back who plays his club football in Mexico, for CF America.

Caceres made his senior international debut in September 2022 and was part of the Uruguay squad that finished third in Copa America 2024. He inherited Uruguay iconic jersey No. 3 at the 2026 World Cup.

“It’s what I dreamed of as a kid, being able to compete in a World Cup with the national team is the ultimate. The team is in very good shape, and I know we’re going to do really well,” Caceres said before the match against Saudi Arabia.

Why is Sebastian Caceres wearing the face mask in Uruguay vs Cape Verde?

Caceres suffered a serious facial injury while playing for CF America against Puma UNAM in May 2026. The injury reportedly included concussion, a cheekbone fracture and eye damage.

The defender was forced off the field and was hospitalised, following which he had a surgery.

As a result, in Uruguay’s World Cup match against Cape Verde, he was seen sporting a blue mask as protection.

This is not the first time a player has done do in the World Cup. Earlier, Croatian defender Josko Gvardiol and South Korea’s captain Son Heung-min were seen wearing face masks in Qatar 2022.

Published on Jun 16, 2026