Dynamic 26-Year-Old Midfielder Leads RSL in Assists, with Six Thus Far in 2026 MLS Campaign
HERRIMAN, Utah (Sat., June 27, 2026) — First-year Real Salt Lake MF Juan Manuel Sanabria (nicknamed “JuanMa”) emerged as one of few standouts for his home nation of Uruguay in this summer’s 2026 FIFA World Cup, La Celeste failing to emerge from group play following Friday night’s 1-0 loss to tournament favorite Spain. Sanabria and Uruguay needed the full three points against Lamine Yamal and Spain to advance to the Round of 32 following a disappointing 2-2 draw with surprising upstarts Cape Verde and a comeback 1-1 draw to open the group stage against Saudi Arabia.
Before starting against both Cape Verde and Spain, the left-sided RSL man entered at halftime for his World Cup debut in the opening match against the Saudis, playing the final 45 minutes and helping spark the South American side’s 81st-minute equalizer. Sanabria started and played the full 90 minutes against Cape Verde in the second Uruguayan match, then again being selected to start against Spain – where his assignment was to contain the blazing speed and dynamic skill of Yamal.
Sanabria not only endured the test against the incredible Spanish teen, but made a name for himself with his trademark poise and intelligent play. While Spain dominated possession against Uruguay – as it typically does against any opponent – Sanabria minimized Yamal’s effect. On multiple occasions it was Sanabria who either won the ball when on an island with Yamal, or spearheaded Uruguay’s swarming defense in and around the box, denying several chances prior to fruition.
Ultimately, it was a 42nd-minute gaffe by the Uruguay goalkeeper that saw a weak shot glance off his hands and into the net for a 1-0 Spain lead at halftime. Sanabria was removed in the 70th minute as Uruguay opted to push for the two goals needed to ensure advancement, with Yamal subbing out shortly thereafter. Sanabria won 7 of 9 duels, committed one foul (for which he did receive a caution), made seven tackles, three clearances and one interception.
Popular social media memes alluded to Yamal being one of the items Sanabria removed from his pockets, along with keys, phone, wallet, etc., following the contest.
Nearly a month ago, famed Uruguay manager Marco Bielsa named Sanabria – the dynamic, 26-year-old playmaker to the legendary squad. Sanabria continues RSL’s quadrennial World Cup participation tradition, following in the footsteps of Bryan Oviedo (Costa Rica, 2022), Carlos Salcedo (Mexico, 2018), Kyle Beckerman & Nick Rimando (USA, 2014), Robbie Findley (USA, 2010), Eddie Pope (USA, 2006) and Douglas Sequeira (Costa Rica, 2006).
Sanabria – who leads RSL with six assists in 11 games played so far in RSL’s 2026 MLS campaign – departed in late May from Minnesota to Uruguay’s training camp in its Montevideo home. Uruguay now returns home after the 17th-ranked FIFA nation – which won the World Cup in 1930 as host nation and the 1950 tournament in Brazil – became the highest-ranked side eliminated at the group stage in the 48-team tournament.
Arriving at RSL in late January, Sanabria joined the Claret-and-Cobalt via permanent transfer for the 2026 and 2027-28 Major League Soccer seasons from Liga MX upstart Atlético San Luis, with a Club option for the 2028-29 campaign. Sanabria – a dual-national Uruguayan/Spanish citizen – also started and played the full 90 minutes against RSL in last year’s Leagues Cup group stage match at America First Field, won by San Luis via shootout tiebreaker.
Born on March 29, 2000, the dynamic, chance-creating, left-sided Sanabria had appeared in 170 games across all competitions for Liga MX side Atlético San Luis since the summer of 2021, scoring eight goals while playing multiple positions front-to-back on the left side. In the six months prior to his RSL arrival, Sanabria was a perennial starter and often-times Captain for San Luis, scoring two goals and adding five assists in 22 games across multiple competitions, including the August Leagues Cup matches against MLS sides.
The Uruguayan international made his professional move to Mexico in mid-2021, arriving from Spain, where he appeared in 46 games across two years. Sanabria scored once in his 13 matches with Real Zaragoza while on loan from Atlético Madrid, for whom he appeared just once as a 19-year-old, mostly featuring with that club’s youth side, Madrileño (three goals in 32 matches).
The former Uruguay youth international appeared in 88 youth national team games for the CONMEBOL nation’s Olympic-age, U20, U17 and U15 selections, prior to his now eight recent appearances in seven invitations to the first team throughout late-stage World Cup Qualifying and the last three FIFA windows. In June, 2025, Sanabria received his first call-up to Uruguay’s senior national team, making his debut last October in a 1-0 friendly win against the Dominican Republic. Sanabria then scored his first goal three days later, on October 13, 2025, in a 2–1 win over Uzbekistan. This March, Sanabria was on the field as a substitute for Uruguay’s late equalizer in a 1-1 draw at historic Wembley Stadium in London against host England, also coming off the bench late a few days later in Naples, Italy, in a 0-0 draw with Algeria.
During the World Cup break, RSL ranks third overall in the MLS Western Conference, also tied for fifth in the MLS Supporters Shield race, with an 8-4-2 (W-L-T) mark and 26 points through its first 14 games of the 2026 MLS season – RSL’s second-best 14-game start in its 22-year Club history (28 points in 2024).
RSL players, coaches and staff have recently resumed sessions for its summer preseason at its Herriman-based Zions Bank Training Center. RSL will play a trio of preseason matches, including closed-door scrimmages on June 27 and July 8, before hosting English Championship side Burnley FC at America First Field in Sandy on Wednesday, July 15, prior to a return to 2026 MLS reg. season action on Wed., July 22, at Los Angeles Football Club. RSL also travels to Portland on Sat., July 25 and St. Louis on Sat., August 1 in Major League Soccer action prior to a trio of Leagues Cup contests at home.
The fourth-year MLS vs. Liga MX tournament sees RSL host the legendary Tigres UANL on Tues., August 4 at America First Field, kicking off a run that also sees Atlante CF on Sat., August 8 and FC Juarez on Tues., August 11, prior to home MLS contests against Minnesota United on Sat., August 15 and FC Dallas on Wed., August 19. Those five home games in 16 days could be critical to RSL’s 2026 campaigns on various fronts, with Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni’s side boasting seven wins in eight home matches so far in 2026.
Please visit www.RSL.com/tickets for more information on RSL’s MLS and Leagues Cup slates.
