Marcelo Bielsa resigns as Uruguay coach after World Cup group-stage exit, details dressing-room fractures in 100-minute presser

Marcelo Bielsa's 33-month reign as Uruguay head coach ended on Tuesday in Montevideo with a combative, 100‑minute press conference that laid bare a broken relationship with his squad. The session followed a calamitous World Cup group phase in which La Celeste finished third in Group H with two draws and a defeat, failing to reach the knockout rounds for the first time since 2002.

The on-field collapse

Uruguay opened with a 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia, then drew 2-2 with Cape Verde before falling 0-1 to Spain in Guadalajara. Bielsa acknowledged the outcome was “completely unforeseen” and that his team had “disappointed the supporters.” He dismissed any suggestion of excuses, stating, “My responsibility is very clear; I cannot justify the position we obtained. The management of the resources I had was not sufficient.”

We did our utmost, both I and my colleagues and the players, but it was clearly not enough.

“Nobody cares what I know”

With folders in hand, the coach declared that he had never succeeded in transmitting his ideas to the group. “What I have absolute certainty of is that nobody cares what I know,” he said. “Nothing I tried to transmit was important, at any level.” Bielsa added that the only person who had ever shown genuine interest was an engineer from Australia who visited Montevideo to learn from him.

I know when someone cares what I know. Nothing I tried to transmit was important, at any level. That was never important from my point of view. I see nothing wrong with it – other people aren't interested in learning what I know. Case closed.

Dressing-room requests and concessions

Bielsa revealed that after a November defeat by the United States in a friendly, senior players led by Federico Valverde asked him to alter his methods. They wanted to train as a single group rather than in separate sessions, and to limit video analysis and team talks to 10 minutes. Bielsa said he accepted without hesitation. “The players suggested no longer training separately in two groups,” he noted. “I agreed because they wanted to feel close to one another.”

He also spoke at length about Valverde, insisting there had never been a conflict with the Real Madrid midfielder. “If there is some conflict, I am unaware of its origin,” he said. “I never had a problem with Valverde and he always knew the enormous respect I have for him.” He recalled telling Valverde at the start of the South American qualifiers that he might be used as a full-back, winger or interior midfielder, and that the captain’s response was one of “absolute generosity.”

Goalkeeper illness and a flash-interview apology

Ahead of the decisive match against Spain, goalkeeper Fernando Muslera had a fever the night before but was fit to play on matchday. After the defeat, Bielsa snapped at a television interviewer who was pressing for answers while the coach was still distraught, later calling the outburst a momentary lack of politeness. “I reacted because they kept waiting, waiting and I was overcome with pain,” he said.

The media manage times of anguish as if they were times of happiness. I was not in control of my emotions.

A painful farewell

Bielsa’s contract with the Uruguayan federation expired after the tournament and he made no attempt to prolong it. He described the departure as “very painful,” adding that he had “started with great hope” but conceded it “was not to be.” He also claimed that with the squad’s quality Uruguay should have finished the group with seven points.

This ending, these farewells, are very painful, given the hopes I had and the way it turned out badly.

The Uruguayan press had already questioned Bielsa’s selections before the tournament. His departure leaves the federation searching for a new coach ahead of the next South American qualifying cycle.