Uruguay has left Puma Rodríguez out of its 26-man World Cup squad, ending his hopes of going to the tournament with a final list announced by Marcelo Bielsa on Monday. For a player who had been a regular part of the process and often came off the bench, the omission landed hard.
People close to Rodríguez said he was very affected by the exclusion. The setback is especially sharp because he had been part of Uruguay's recent cycle and was familiar to Bielsa as a habitual call-up, even if he was usually used as a substitute.
Rodríguez had joined Vasco after playing in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but this time he was not among the 26 selected. That leaves Vasco with only one player at the tournament, Andrés Gómez, who made Colombia's final World Cup list.
Gómez's call-up carries its own weight for the Brazilian club. He is the first Vasco player selected for a World Cup in eight years, and his route there has been steadier in recent months after becoming a key player for Vasco in late 2025. In Colombia's attack, he faced competition from Luis Díaz, Luis Suárez, Jhon Arias and Marino Hinestroza.
Vasco had three names in Colombia's preliminary list, and club teammates Andrés Gómez and Carlos Cuesta both joined in the mid-year window last year in an effort to recover their place and raise their chances of World Cup selection. Cuesta was also called up again in November last year, together with Gómez, after being a regular presence for Colombia in recent years and starting in the last Copa América final, which Colombia lost to Argentina.
The contrast is stark. Gómez is going to the World Cup, while Rodríguez is staying home after a selection that cut across his recent role in Uruguay's setup and left no sign of a replacement call-up. Bielsa's final list settled the matter on Monday, and for Rodríguez the door has closed for this tournament.
