the argentinian coach Marcelo Bielsa He assured this Wednesday during his presentation as the new Uruguay coach that they did not have to convince him to accept that position and remarked that the players and citizens of this country were “fundamental” in making the decision.
“They didn’t have to convince me, I would almost say quite the opposite,” he said during a press conference at the Centenario stadium in Montevideo attended by nearly 200 journalists.
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Bielsa said that he likes the group of players who have represented Celeste in recent years, while highlighting the “final recipient of the work of a team” who is “the ordinary citizen.”
The anecdote with his wife
He immediately told an anecdote that “later had a decisive weight in decision-making” and that he lived with his wife in Montevideo while traveling on crowded public transport.
“The trip lasted 45 minutes and there were a lot of episodes that put the civility of those who were on top of the bus (bus) to the test,” Bielsa said.
Al ‘Loco’ added that “the generosity” that he saw there and the respect that there was for children, the elderly and women aroused his admiration.
He has not spoken with Luis Suárez and Cavani
Consulted strictly for football, Bielsa remarked that for the moment he did not speak with the main references of the selection –Luis Suárez and Edinson Cavani- and added that it is appropriate to do so before making any decision that involves them.
When asked if Uruguay can dream of being world champion, he replied that there are countries that must build through illusion and others that are authorized to do so by their might. He pointed out that there are teams that can mix the two, as in the case of Celeste.
“I think Uruguay is from the middle group. They can fantasize and they have to feed that fantasy,” said the former coach of Argentina and Chile.
Admiration for Tabárez
Bielsa also talked about Oscar Washington Tabárez and he assured that, although the word admiration should be used less because it is exaggerated, he admires the person who led Celeste for more than 15 years.
Finally, when asked how he would like to be remembered, he said that human beings seek to be loved and that affection in football is achieved by installing unforgettable memories in the collective memory.
feted
Ignacio Alonso, president of the Uruguayan Football Association, He underlined “the pride” that Bielsa has become the new technical director of La Celeste means for the national team and for Uruguayan football.
Right away gave the Argentine the Uruguay shirt and a painting of the historic Centenario stadium in Montevideo.
Bielsa became the new Uruguay coach this Monday after arriving in Montevideo and signing his new employment contract.
Until the 2026 World Cup
The Argentine will work with La Celeste during the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup or until the end of that tournament in case the team qualifies.
Born in the city of Rosario in July 1955, Bielsa began his coaching career in 1990, ten years after ending his time as a soccer player.
From that moment he directed Newell’s Old Boys, the Mexican Atlas and América, Vélez Sarsfield, the Spanish Espanyol and Athletic Club, the French Olympique de Marseille and Lille, as well as English Leeds United.
He was also the coach of Argentina in the period 1998-2004 and of Chile between 2007 and 2011.
