Marcelo Bielsa took full responsibility for Uruguay’s disappointing exit from the World Cup on Friday. He said his three-year stint with the national team “left nothing” for Uruguayan football.
Uruguay’s season ended with a 1–0 defeat to Spain, leaving the country without a win after earlier draws against Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde. Tournament debutant Cape Verde switched from Group H to Spain.
Bielsa, whose contract with the Uruguayan Football Association runs until the World Cup and who has previously indicated that he will resign after the tournament, struck a farewell tone after the defeat.
«What do I leave behind for Uruguayan football? Nothing,» said the Argentinian.
«Any contribution a coach makes after three years only lasts if there are results. A fourth place in the qualifiers didn’t count for much, neither did a third place in the Copa América, and what has happened now speaks for itself.»
“It was a tenure that left nothing behind.”
The 70-year-old accepted full responsibility for Uruguay’s early departure and admitted he had failed to get the best out of a talented squad, while insisting the team’s performance deserved a better result.
“I think we earned seven points from the three games, but we leave with only two,” Bielsa said.
Ranked 19th in the FIFA rankings, Uruguay became the highest ranked team to be eliminated in the group stage to date.
It was also the second time that a Bielsa-led side failed to progress beyond the World Cup group stages, following the 2002 FIFA World Cup with Argentina. His best World Cup finish came in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, when he guided Chile to the round of 16.
Published on June 27, 2026
