Marcelo Bielsa has stepped down as Uruguay coach after a poor World Cup campaign that ended in the group stage. Uruguay collected only two points from three matches and finished behind debutants Cape Verde, drawing with Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde and losing to Spain, which confirmed an early exit and intense scrutiny.

Bielsa, who took charge of Uruguay in 2023, confirmed the decision during a tense media appearance. He stressed personal responsibility for the outcome and accepted that the project had failed to meet expectations, despite strong commitment from the coaching staff and the squad across the qualification period and the tournament.

The coach explained why Uruguay’s performance forced such a drastic step. “It was completely unexpected that our situation would turn out the way it did,” he told reporters in a typically fiery press conference. “My responsibility is very clear; I cannot justify the position we ended up in. My resource management was insufficient.”

Bielsa described the emotional cost of leaving the role after such a short spell. “We gave everything, my team and the players, but it wasn’t enough. For me, it’s clear that this ending is very painful due to the high hopes I had when I took on this project, and because of the unfortunate way it concluded.”

Uruguay’s final group match turned on Alex Baena’s goal for Spain, which left Bielsa’s side chasing the game. During that defeat, Bielsa surprised many by substituting captain and key midfielder Federico Valverde, a move that drew criticism, yet Bielsa rejected talk of any personal tension with the Real Madrid player.

Bielsa defended that relationship in clear terms. “I have never had any problems with Valverde at all,” he added. “I have not made concessions to any player more than I have to Valverde, because he deserves it.” Bielsa instead pointed to performance data and missed chances as the reasons behind Uruguay’s World Cup exit.

The coach highlighted attacking figures to counter claims the squad had stopped responding. “We created five times more danger than Saudi Arabia, 50% more scoring opportunities than Cape Verde, and the same number of dangerous situations as Spain,” he said. “How can I accept that my relationship with the team was what prevented us from winning the first few matches and caused us to lose the last one?”

Bielsa also underlined the efforts made by the squad during his tenure. “I have pushed many people to make tremendous efforts, especially the players who have shown an exceptional ability to sacrifice and work.” The national team’s social media account later shared full-time details from the Spain defeat, underlining the disappointment surrounding Uruguay’s early exit.

Bielsa’s resignation closes a chapter that began with optimism in 2023 but ended with Uruguay out after the group stage. The coach leaves while insisting the bond with the players stayed strong, yet also acknowledging that tactical choices and use of resources did not deliver the results Uruguay demanded.