Marcelo Bielsa was confirmed as Uruguay’s new coach on Monday until the end of the 2026 World Cup.
The Uruguayan Football Association has celebrated the arrival of Bielsa, 67, with a video and a series of memes that imitated the Argentine’s reputation as a great tactician.
“Our audience demands play and emotions. The time has come,” the association said on Twitter.
Bielsa’s first games are likely in June, when Uruguay are scheduled to play friendlies against Nicaragua and Cuba. Qualifying for the World Cup in South America will begin in September.
Bielsa coached Argentina from 1998 to 2004. His team was eliminated in the group stage of the 2002 World Cup and won the gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics. work for personal reasons.
Bielsa also coached Chile from 2007-11.
He has also spent time in Spain, Athletic Bilbao, Marseille and Lille. He has been out of work since February 2022 when he was sacked by English Premier League club Leeds United, who replaced him with American manager Jesse Marsch.
Marsch himself was fired after just over 11 months in early February. The Wisconsin native is now a presumptive favorite to become the next head coach of a U.S. men’s national team that will host the 2026 World Cup.
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Uruguay made it out of the group stage at the World Cup in Qatar last year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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