Bielsa Takes Full Responsibility After Uruguay's Exit from the World Cup

Marcelo Bielsa took full responsibility for Uruguay's exit from the 2026 World Cup, stating that he "left nothing for Uruguayan football" during his tenure as the national team's coach, following the 1-0 defeat to Spain that ended "La Celeste's" journey in the tournament.

Bielsa said after the match: "I haven't contributed anything to Uruguayan football. A coach who spends three years in a country without achieving results cannot claim to have made a contribution. Fourth place in the qualifiers is worthless, as is third place in the Copa America, and there's no need to even describe this performance in the World Cup. My tenure here says nothing."

The Argentine coach added: "We could have earned seven points, but we only got two. This is the result of my work. My task was to manage a group of players, but I failed to turn it into a real force. If you want an explanation, I would say that we deserved seven points, but we only collected two."

Bielsa also emphasized taking full responsibility, saying: "I am responsible for what Uruguay presented in this World Cup. I am responsible for all this frustration due to the work I have done. But if I have to analyze what happened, I must also mention the mistakes. Fernando Muslera requested to leave, and I substituted Federico Valverde because I wanted to strengthen the attack."