The “genius” Bielsa returns to coaching national teams: a new journey with Uruguay

The Uruguay Football Association announced the signing of Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa to lead the national team in the coming period, to return to coaching national teams after leaving the English team Leeds United, which he led in an earlier period in the “Premier League” competitions.

And the Uruguay Federation revealed, on Friday, that it had officially contracted with Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa to lead the first team in order to qualify for the 2026 World Cup competitions, which will be held in 3 countries together: America, Mexico and Canada.

And the Uruguay Federation revealed in an official statement that, “We reached an official agreement, all points of drafting the contract were resolved, and only the official signature remained.” The statement did not mention any additional points regarding the contract with the Argentine coach, who will start his mission immediately after signing the contract.

The Argentine coach is considered a “genius” due to his great knowledge of football and its scenes. Marcelo Bielsa (67 years old), is the second non-local coach to lead the Uruguay national team that won the 1930 and 1950 World Cups, after compatriot Daniel Passarella, who led the national team between 1999 and 2001.

It is also the third experience of coach Bielsa in leading the South American national teams after his country’s experience with Argentina between the years 1998 and 2004, and Chile between the years 2007 and 2011, and he finally finished an experience with the English team Leeds United at the club level.

It is noteworthy that the position of coach of the Uruguay national team has remained vacant since the end of the contract of coach Diego Alonso, after the end of the qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup, and Alonso had taken over the helm of the national team, succeeding coach Oscar Tabarez in the middle of those qualifiers.

Bielsa begins his first duties at the head of the coaching staff of the Uruguay national team, with two friendly matches next June, in which the identity of the competitor has not yet been determined, before he begins next September the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.