Top 5: Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay and the biggest disappointments of the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Two-time world champions Uruguay head a list of five teams whose group-stage exits fell well short of the expectations they brought into the tournament.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup produced its share of disappointments, with several teams falling short of expectations in the group stage. Uruguay, Turkey, Haiti, Czechia and New Zealand all exited early—but for very different reasons.

URUGUAY: FATIGUE AND THE COLLAPSE OF BIELSA'S PROJECT

Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay arrived with a demanding approach built on the intensity that defines “El Loco’s” teams.

However, that very style ultimately took a toll on their performances. The squad suffered from physical fatigue and dressing-room tensions, resulting in a lack of sharpness and key lapses at crucial moments—something reflected in players like goalkeeper Fernando Muslera and captain Federico Valverde.

With just two points in Group H and an inconsistent attacking output (three goals in three matches), La Celeste’s main downfall was a loss of competitive energy and cohesion in the final stretch.

The two-time world champions exited the tournament without a win, managing only draws against modest Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde, and offering little resistance against a Spain side that itself raised doubts.

TURKEY: MISSED CHANCES PROVE COSTLY

Türkiye returned to the World Cup for the first time in 24 years carrying plenty of momentum, fueled by Arda Güler's rise and an impressive UEFA Euro 2024 campaign.

However, their biggest flaw was a lack of finishing. They created opportunities and played attractive football but failed to convert their chances, suffering costly defeats to Australia and Paraguay.

Their late 3-2 victory over a heavily rotated United States side showed their quality—but it came too late to save their campaign.

HAITI: THE STEP UP WAS TOO BIG

Haiti's return to the World Cup—their first since 1974—was one of the tournament's best stories after qualifying ahead of Costa Rica and Honduras.

The Caribbean side, however, struggled to cope with the pace and quality of elite international football. Defensive lapses and inconsistent intensity led to three defeats, eight goals conceded and only two scored.

Their brightest moment came in Atlanta, where they pushed Morocco to the limit before eventually falling short.

CZECHIA: FINE MARGINS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE

Czechia exited from one of the tournament's most balanced groups after repeatedly failing to close out matches.

Late mistakes proved costly against South Korea and South Africa, while a heavy defeat to Mexico in a winner-takes-all clash ended any hopes of reaching the knockout stage.

The margins were small—but decisive.

NEW ZEALAND: NO CUTTING EDGE

The All Whites displayed discipline and defensive organization, but their attacking limitations were impossible to overcome.

New Zealand collected just one point, scoring four goals while conceding 10. After an encouraging 2-2 draw with Iran, hopes of advancing quickly disappeared following defeats to Egypt and Belgium.

Without a consistent attacking threat, they simply lacked the firepower to compete.

Will these teams get another chance to rewrite their stories at the 2030 FIFA World Cup?