Marcelo Bielsa has taken full responsibility for Uruguay’s disappointing campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament.
The South American side were one of the disappointing teams of the tournament after failing to progress beyond the group stage, with Cape Verde advancing in their place.
Uruguay headed into their final group game against Spain needing to win to advance, while a draw would have been enough as well if the game between Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia also ended tin a stalemate.
However, they were beaten by the European champions, with Alex Baena scoring the only goal of the encounter.
“I am responsible for this disappointment”, Bielsa said.
“Obviously, I don’t need to define this performance… if you ask me how my time [with the national team] will be remembered, it is a tenure that left nothing behind.
“I leave nothing to Uruguayan football, because any contribution I might make to a country where I have worked for three years fails to take root if results aren’t achieved.”
Goalkeeper Fernando Muslera was at fault for Spain’s goal, failing to properly stop Baena’s strike from escaping through his grasp.
The 40-year-old had only come out of retirement in March, but made three errors in total at this World Cup, becoming the first goalkeeper to achieve this embarrassing feat.
He was taken off at halftime, with Sergio Rochet coming in as his replacement, although that did little as the game ended 1-0.
“Muslera decided to come off at half-time”, Bielsa added.
“The decision I took was not to undermine Muslera’s confidence, but rather to maintain it.”
Meanwhile, Cape Verde will now face defending champions Argentina in their next match. Spain, on the other hand, will go up against Austria in the Round of 32.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
