Real Salt Lake midfielder Juan Manuel San .: Sanabria and the Uruguay national team are set to compete against Cape Verde today in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The match takes place at 4:00 p.m. MT in Miami.
Sanabria's recent World Cup debut
Sanabria, nicknamed JuanMa, recently made his World Cup debut during a 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia, where he entered the game at halftime and helped spark an 81st-minute equalizer for La Celeste.
Uruguay squad details and rankings
The 26-year-old playmaker was named to the Uruguay squad by manager Marco Bielsa three weeks ago. Sanabria currently leads Real Salt Lake with six assists in 11 games during the 2026 MLS campaign.
Arrival in Miami and group stage
Uruguay, ranked 17th in FIFA, arrived in Miami late Sunday night following time spent training in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. The team is competing in Group H alongside Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Spain.
Sanabria's expected starting role
Reports from Uruguay suggest Sanabria will be in the starting lineup for the match against Cape Verde. Uruguay's group stage schedule includes matches in Miami before traveling to Guadalajara, Mexico, for a game against Spain on Friday, June 26.
Sanabria's professional club history
Sanabria joined Real Salt Lake in late January via a permanent transfer from Atlético San Luis. Before arriving in Utah, the dual-national Uruguayan/Spanish citizen played for several clubs, including Real Zaragoza in Spain and Atlético Madrid's youth side, Madrileño.
During his time with Liga MX side Atlético San Luis, Sanabria appeared in 170 games across all competitions. His international career includes appearances for Uruguay's various youth national teams and recent senior team call-ups starting in June 2025.
While the World Cup continues, Real Salt Lake players and staff have returned to the Zions Bank Training Center in Herriman. The club is preparing for upcoming preseason matches and a return to MLS regular season action on July 22 against Los Angeles Football Club.
