Uruguay didn’t get knocked out and finish third in the same World Cup stage; that phrasing usually refers to a group-stage exit where they placed third in their group and were eliminated, not a third-place finish overall. In the 2026 coverage I found, Uruguay were described as being eliminated in the group stage, with reports noting they finished behind Spain and were out of the tournament.

What “finished third” means

In World Cup group play, teams are ranked within their group first, second, third, and fourth. Only the top teams advance, so a team can “finish third” in its group and still be knocked out.

Why the wording confuses people

People often say “finished third” without clarifying whether they mean:

  • third in the group.
  • third overall in the tournament.
  • third place after a placement match or ranking tiebreak.

For Uruguay, the reports I found point to the first meaning: third in the group, which means elimination rather than a medal or podium finish.

Simple example

If a group has four teams and Uruguay ends with more points than only one of them, Uruguay places third in that group and is eliminated if only the top two advance. That is very different from finishing third in the whole tournament, which would require a third-place match or final tournament ranking.

Bottom line

So the short answer is: Uruguay were eliminated after finishing third in their group , not third overall in the World Cup.