Bielsa exits Uruguay after 100-minute farewell

Bielsa says goodbye with a 100-minute press conference

Marcelo Bielsa is out. The Uruguay coach held a press conference on Tuesday that lasted 100 minutes, and then he was gone (1). No players alongside him, no staff. Just Bielsa, alone, answering questions about a World Cup that yielded two points and a group-stage exit.

The local press had been brutal since the Spain defeat. Bielsa was accused of contaminating the atmosphere, of leaving a fractured dressing room behind. Defenders like Jose Maria Gimenez never got on the pitch. His return to Montevideo was solitary, and now the exit is official.

"I was overwhelmed by pain"

Bielsa did not dodge the big question. He addressed his emotional outburst after the Spain defeat that sealed Uruguay's elimination. "J'étais submergé par la douleur," he said, meaning he was overwhelmed by pain (2).

It was the defining image of the campaign: Bielsa raging on the touchline, your team out, Manuel Ugarte's knee gone in the same 1–0 loss. A confirmed cruciate ligament rupture has Ugarte facing a long road back. FIFA were also reviewing a potential red card for Nicolás de la Cruz and an extended ban for Agustin Canobbio over what were described as unacceptable scenes.

Ajax want Viñas

A move could be coming for Federico Viñas. Ajax are targeting the Uruguay striker, though they face serious competition from La Liga clubs (3). Viñas featured at the World Cup and now looks set for a European switch.