Marcelo Bielsa He celebrated his first year in charge of Uruguay in May. It is no secret that his reign has revolutionized football. The victories over Argentina and Brazil in the qualifiers confirm this.
Like every process, it has its ups and downs. Who is for it and who is against it.
Reading the reality of Bielsa’s year in Uruguay shows that the coach is in the process of renewing the squad, and that the team is appealing to a style of play that appeals to the majority of Uruguayans, who were excluded from the two tournaments in which they participated, and that it is in the qualifying zone for the 2026 World Cup.
Uruguay, led by Bielsa, began their campaign in September 2023 with a qualifier win over Chile. Since that first encounter, the team has excited people with an attacking proposition that is not common in these parts.
The path began to go hand in hand with the renovation of the campus. Perhaps the most notable change was in attack, where the coach confirmed Darwin Nunez instead of Luis Suarez, integrated Facundo Pellistri and discovered Maximiliano Araujo. As an alternative, it requires patience and waiting time.
The high points were the victories over Argentina in Buenos Aires and Brazil in the Centenario.
Uruguay finished the year in second place in the qualifying standings.
2024 began with Bielsa at the helm of a pre-Olympic team whose goal was to qualify for the Paris Games. In their first appearance, Uruguay started at a breakneck pace and went out at half-time with a 3-1 win over Paraguay. But in the second half, the Guarani turned the game around and won 4-3. That defeat was a blow that was hard to swallow. Uruguay were eliminated from the final round.
It is time to resume activity in the senior national team with the Copa America in mind. After a series of friendly matches, Uruguay arrived at the tournament and easily passed the group it shared with Panama, Bolivia and the United States.
In the quarter-finals they had to face Brazil, whom they eliminated on penalties and played the last 15 minutes with one man less due to the sending off of Nahitan Nandez.
The team achieved the dream, but in the semi-finals they were eliminated by Colombia, who beat them 1-0, playing with one man for the entire second half.
Far from being eliminated, the reality is that Uruguay’s appearance was higher than its participation in the 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2021 editions.
What’s left for Bielsa’s Uruguay? Follow the qualifying path to the World Cup. The calendar shows that in September they should host Paraguay and visit Venezuela; in October they travel to Peru and play at home to Ecuador, and in November they will close the year by hosting Colombia and visiting Brazil.
So far the path that Uruguay has taken under Bielsa has been read. For some it will be positive, for others negative. It all depends on the lens through which you look.
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