Advertisement
Bielsa resigns as Uruguay head coach after World Cup exit
01st July, 2026 04:00 PM
Marcelo Bielsa has announced that he is leaving his role as Uruguay’s head coach after the team’s disappointing group-stage exit at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The two-time world champions ended their Group H campaign in third place, having drawn with Cabo Verde and Saudi Arabia before suffering a loss to Spain, a result that ended their hopes of progressing.
Bielsa quits
Speaking at a press conference, the 70-year-old Argentine reflected on the disappointment of the campaign.
“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,” he said.
Bielsa accepted full accountability for Uruguay’s failure to advance.
“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,” he added.
Since taking charge in May 2023, Bielsa oversaw 36 matches, recording 16 victories, 12 draws and eight defeats.
He also dismissed reports suggesting his relationship with the squad had deteriorated during his tenure.
“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,” Bielsa said.
“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.”
Muslera praised
The former Argentina and Chile boss reserved special praise for veteran goalkeeper Fernando Muslera. The 40-year-old requested to be replaced at halftime against Spain after his mistake allowed Alex Baena to score in the 42nd minute.
“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,” Bielsa stated.
Bielsa also rejected criticism over his decision to substitute Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde during the second half while Uruguay was chasing the goal it needed to remain in the competition.
“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.”
