Bielsa shrugs off viral World Cup portrait: 'I'm not a model, I have no explanation to give'

The viral photo

Marcelo Bielsa's official portrait for the 2026 World Cup, commissioned by FIFA and shot by Getty Images, has circulated widely online for all the wrong reasons. Rather than smiling into the lens like most coaches and players, the 70-year-old Argentine stared straight at the ground, hands behind his back, in what many commentators described as a deliberate snub. The image spawned countless memes and speculation that Bielsa was protesting the tournament being held in the United States.

Bielsa's response

Asked about the pose during a press conference after Uruguay's Group H opener, Bielsa pushed back forcefully. "I don't have to give any explanation," he said. "The picture was taken the way it was taken. I'm not a model. I have no answer for that. Should I also explain why I don't look at those who are speaking to me at this moment?"

There is a limit in terms of what we need to explain. If I'm wearing glasses, why am I wearing glasses? You look somebody in the eye, why do you do that? There is nothing wrong about wearing glasses or looking into somebody's eyes or looking down.

He maintained the same posture when walking past photographers before kick-off, keeping his head bowed and eyes fixed on the ground. The reaction was consistent with a coach known for shunning media obligations and commercial events; in 2020 he attended Leeds United's centenary dinner in a tracksuit after working late at the training ground.

Match context

Uruguay struggled to break down a disciplined Saudi Arabia side in the first half, managing only five shots despite 67 percent possession (their highest in a World Cup match since 1966). Bielsa sent on Canobbio and Sanabria after the break, shifting the attack wide, and the team responded with 22 second-half attempts, the most by any side in a half of a World Cup game since East Germany's 24 against Chile in 1974. Maxi Araújo equalised after Saudi Arabia had taken the lead from a set-piece.

Saudi Arabia's goalkeeper Alowais was named his team's best player on the night, denying Uruguay a winner. Bielsa spent parts of the match yelling instructions from a blue ice box beside the pitch rather than the dugout.

The man they call 'El Loco'

The photo controversy is the latest in a long line of eccentricities that have earned Bielsa the nickname 'El Loco' (the madman). He gives monosyllabic interviews, avoids eye contact with journalists, and once delivered a documentary monologue rather than sit for a traditional Q&A. After taking over Uruguay in 2023, he led the team to consecutive wins over Brazil and Argentina, prompting Lionel Messi to acknowledge his impact. Bielsa's focus remains on the football; everything else, as this week showed, is a sideshow he dismisses with barely a glance.