Uruguayan Striker Darwin Núñez Faces Uncertainty Ahead of World Cup 2026
Four months after securing a spot in the World Cup 2026, Uruguayan striker Darwin Núñez finds himself in a challenging situation. His minutes and goal-scoring opportunities in Arab football have dwindled, raising concerns about his form and confidence leading up to the tournament in Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
Caught in the Benzema Effect
Rumors from Referee indicate that the arrival of French soccer legend Karim Benzema to Al-Hilal spots Darwin Núñez out of the local league, leaving him with only Asian Champions League matches to play, at best five games.
Darwin’s Drought: From Hot Streak to Goal longtemps
Since his promising start under Marcelo Bielsa, Núñez’s form has declined. The forward, who scored 10 goals in Bielsa’s first year with Uruguay, will soon celebrate two years without scoring for his national team. His last goal was against Bolivia in the Copa América on June 27, 2023.
In the last 11 games for Uruguay, Núñez didn’t score. He missed five matches due to sanctions following incidents in the Copa América semifinals. In 2024, he played only three games for the Qualifiers.
Uruguay’s World Cup 2026 Schedule
- June 15, 2026: Uruguay vs. Saudi Arabia in Miami, USA
- June 21, 2026: Uruguay vs. Cape Verde in Miami, USA
- June 26, 2026: Uruguay vs. Spain in Guadalajara, Mexico
Darwin’s Path to Recovery
Núñez will join Bielsa’s squad for friendlies in March, playing against England and Algeria. His performance in these matches will be crucial in determining his role in the World Cup.
From that brilliant beginning under Bielsa to this day, the reality of Darwin Núñez generates disturbing concern.Referee