Picture Credit: Twitter
As per various reports, manager Marcelo Bielsa will replace Diego Alonso as the Uruguay national team coach. Uruguay failed to get past the group stages at the 2022 FIFA World Cup as they finished third in their group behind Portugal and South Korea. Bielsa will sign a contract through the 2026 World Cup.
Jorge Casales, a member of the Executive Committee of the Uruguayan Soccer Association, told the Associated Press, “The only thing missing is the signature." He also added that the 67-year-old Bielsa is expected in Montevideo within days. One of the football reporter Fabrizio Romano also spoke about this move of Bielsa, stating, “Marcelo Bielsa is back - he’s set to sign as new coach of Uruguay national team. Done deal as full verbal agreement has been finally reached.”
Bielsa was fired from his post as a Leeds manager in February last year after they slipped into the relegation zone. He has earlier coached the Argentina national team from 1998 to 2004 when they bowed out of the 2002 World Cup in the group stages but later led them to an Olympic gold medal win at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Bielsa was later appointed as the Chile manager from 2007 to 2011 and had 1.8 points per game.
His first matches as the Uruguay manager are likely to be in June with friendlies slated against Nicaragua and Cuba. Bielsa will have the services of talented youngsters in defender Ronald Araujo, Real Madrid midfielder Fede Valverde and Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez.
