Bielsa resigns as Uruguay manager
Montevideo, July 1
Marcelo Bielsa said he would step down as Uruguay manager after his team's group-stage elimination from the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Two-time World Cup winner Uruguay finished third in Group H after draws against Cabo Verde and Saudi Arabia and a defeat to Spain.
"For me, this farewell is very painful because of the hopes I had when I took on this project, because of the way it ended, and because of the efforts of so many people, especially the players," the 70-year-old Argentine told a news conference, according to Xinhua. "As for my responsibility for what happened, I think it is very clear that I cannot justify the position we finished in. In short, the way I managed the resources available to me, considering the quality of players I had, was not enough."
Bielsa led Uruguay to 16 wins, 12 draws and eight losses following his appointment in May 2023. He denied widespread media reports that his relationship with the players had broken down.
"They showed enormous commitment. Whether I come out of this looking good or bad depends entirely on my relationship with the players. They did nothing that prevented me from leading them or from giving them every tool I had at my disposal to achieve the results they deserved."
"Whether I come out of this looking good or bad, or whatever speculation may exist, is beyond my control and not something I can comment on."
The former Argentina and Chile national team manager singled out goalkeeper Fernando Muslera for praise. The 40-year-old asked to be substituted at halftime of the last group match against Spain after his error led to Alex Baena's 42nd-minute goal.
"It says something about Muslera's character," Bielsa said. "I've never had a player ask to be substituted because of the emotional impact of their own mistakes ... and he didn't feel he was in the right frame of mind to face the second half. I thought it was an extraordinary display of generosity, something that's rare in today's football."
He also defended his decision to take off Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde in the second half, with Uruguay needing an equaliser to stay alive in the tournament.
"You tell me that by taking a player off in the 60th minute I exposed him, but I don't agree with that," Bielsa said. "Managers substitute players because it's part of the job. I don't believe I exposed him in any way.
"I've never had any issues with Valverde, and I don't think I've ever made more concessions for any other player than I have for him, because he deserves it."
— IANS
Reader Comments
As someone who follows South American football closely, this is sad but not surprising. Bielsa's intense style works for a while, but players eventually tire of it. Uruguay have so much talent - Valverde, Nunez, Araujo - and yet they couldn't get past group stage. Compare that to India's journey: we didn't even qualify! Makes you appreciate how tough World Cup football really is. 🙏
Bielsa taking full responsibility is refreshing in modern football where managers often blame referees or luck. "I cannot justify the position we finished in" - that's class. But replacing him mid-cycle seems harsh. Uruguay should have stuck with him for the next cycle. Knee-jerk reactions rarely work in the long run.
The Muslera incident is heartbreaking. For a 40-year-old goalkeeper to admit he wasn't mentally ready after a mistake shows immense self-awareness. But Bielsa's decision to sub Valverde? Just madness. You don't take off your best midfielder when chasing a goal, especially against Spain. Maybe age has caught up with Bielsa's tactical innovations? 🤔
What a dignified exit speech from Bielsa. You rarely see managers admit their methods weren't enough. But I wonder about the internal dynamics - denying player relationship issues while walking away says a lot. Uruguay will bounce back though, they always do. The next manager has big shoes to fill!
Bielsa is one of football's most fascinating minds. His documentary "El Loco" showed how obsessive he is about
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