The elimination from the 2026 World Cup group stage not only concluded Uruguay’s journey at the planet’s biggest football festival, but also brought an end to the partnership between coach Marcelo Bielsa and the South American representative.
At the 2026 World Cup, Uruguay drew with Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia, before losing 0-1 to Spain in the final matchday and being eliminated. The poor results made the atmosphere within the team extremely heavy. Uruguayan media revealed that the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) even canceled the pre-arranged repatriation flights for the team members following the defeat.
In that context, coach Bielsa’s future also came to an end. The Argentine strategist’s contract with AUF was originally only valid until the end of the 2026 World Cup. After Uruguay stopped right at the group stage, both sides are said to officially close a journey that lasted nearly 3 years.
According to journalist Sebas Giovanelli of ESPN Uruguay, Bielsa had his final meeting with the players at the team base in Playa del Carmen before leaving the squad. In a recent press conference, the Argentine strategist nicknamed El Loco (The Madman) expressed his disappointment with several of his students and left a noteworthy remark: “I leave very sad because everyone has left me alone”.
Many sources in Uruguay stated that the relationship between coach Bielsa and several key pillars had fractured after the team only won 2 points in the group stage. Midfielder Federico Valverde is said to be one of the names appearing in reports regarding internal disagreements.
After nearly 3 years of leading Uruguay, coach Bielsa concluded his tenure with 37 matches, securing 14 victories, 15 draws, and 8 defeats. Despite once driving the team to a fourth-place finish in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and securing third place in the Copa America, the 69-year-old strategist still uttered bitterly: “If you ask me what I left behind for Uruguayan football, the answer is nothing. Because all contributions become meaningless without results”.
