GUADALAJARA — Marcelo Bielsa accepted full responsibility for Uruguay’s disappointing World Cup exit on Friday, saying his three-year spell in charge had “left nothing behind” after La Celeste failed to win a match in Group H.
Uruguay’s campaign ended with a 1-0 defeat to Spain, following earlier 1-1 draws against Saudi Arabia and tournament debutants Cape Verde. The results left Uruguay with two points, while Cape Verde advanced to the round of 32 alongside group winners Spain.
Bielsa, whose contract with the Uruguayan Football Association runs through the World Cup and who has previously indicated the tournament would mark the end of his tenure, struck a farewell tone after the match.
“What do I leave for Uruguayan football? Nothing,” Bielsa said. “Any contribution a coach can make over three years means little if it is not accompanied by results. Finishing fourth in the qualifiers did not matter much, third place in the Copa América did not matter either, and what happened here speaks for itself.
“It was a cycle that left nothing behind.”
The Argentine coach said he alone should shoulder the blame, insisting Uruguay’s talented squad was capable of achieving much more.
“I am responsible,” Bielsa said. “With the players we have, I should have been able to produce more.”
Despite the elimination, Bielsa believed his side deserved a better return from the group stage.
“I think we deserved seven points from the three matches, but we leave with only two,” he said.
Ranked 19th in the world, Uruguay became the highest-ranked team eliminated during the group stage of the tournament.
It was also the second time a Bielsa-led team has failed to progress beyond the World Cup group stage, following Argentina’s early exit in 2002. His best World Cup finish remains guiding Chile to the round of 16 in 2010.
Source: Saudi Gazette