Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa hints at leaving after the World Cup

Uruguay's national team coach Marcelo Bielsa hinted at a public event on Thursday that he may not continue coaching the team after July.

Bielsa made it clear that his work with the Uruguayan national team would end with the conclusion of this World Cup. Speaking at an event hosted by the Uruguayan Football Federation, Bielsa said, "Our work ends with the World Cup."

"For any professional athlete, being able to participate in the World Cup is a miracle in their career. I will always be grateful to Uruguay for allowing me to enjoy a tournament like the World Cup."

Although Bielsa did not elaborate on the reasons at the scene, local media widely reported that the Argentine coach would not renew his contract after it expires. His current contract will officially expire after the North American World Cup, which will be held from June 11 to July 19 this year.

This will be Vilnius Belsa's third World Cup campaign as a coach. He took over the Uruguayan national team in 2023 and achieved good results in the early stages, leading the team through the South American qualifiers and securing third place in the 2024 Copa America.

However, since Uruguayan star Luis Suarez publicly criticized Belsa, his relationship with the team has deteriorated, and internal conflicts have raised questions about his management style.

Uruguay's recent performance has been somewhat inconsistent. In friendly matches in March, they drew with both England and Algeria. In the upcoming World Cup, Uruguay is in Group H, where they will face Saudi Arabia on June 15th, followed by matches against Cape Verde and Spain.

Image source: Internet