Marcelo Bielsa is more than a coach. Almost a cult football phenomenon of the last decades, the Uruguay coach will face Brazil this Saturday night, and in a peculiar context: he commands the team appointed as the favorite for the duel valid for the quarterfinals of the Copa America. But he continues to be questioned about broader issues as well. Last Friday, for example, he commented on the exodus of South American talents and mentioned Dorival Júnior’s new starter: Endrick.
– Do you remember the formation of São Paulo (two-time world champion in the early 1990s)? With a monumental coach (Telê Santana) and a formation of all players from the Brazilian national team, all playing in local football. Look at what happened to poor South American football. RaÃ, Antônio Carlos (Zago), Ronaldo, Cafú, Pintado, Muller played there… all “European” players, but before going to Europe they played two Copa Libertadores finals. What happened to football? With football, which is essentially popular property – reflected the Argentine, who added:
– The poor have very little ability to access happiness because they do not have money to buy happiness. Football, as it is free, is of popular origin. This football, which was one of the few things that the poorest kept, is no longer because at the age of 17 Endricks leave, as well as the “winger (winger) of Palmeiras” (Estevão)… it’s a shame that I have to say something today that will only bring me criticism – lamented Bielsa.
Bielsa is an idol of coaches who are references and successful around the world, such as Pep Guardiola. With stints at different clubs and national teams, he now commands a Uruguay that had to reformulate itself after two decades with Óscar Tabárez, Edinson Cavani and Luis Suárez as the references. And it has worked.
Bielsa’s Uruguay arrives as favorites for the quarterfinals because, with the current coach, they have already beaten Brazil and also Argentina (in the World Cup Qualifiers). Since the management started just over a year ago, there are ten wins in 14 games. And 33 goals scored in the period by a team known until then more for its defensive consistency and determination.
Brazil will face a Uruguay in which Suárez is a reserve, and where the most outstanding talents – as illustrated by Bielsa – are outside the country. In Brazil there are some such as Rochet (from Internacional), Viña, de La Cruz and Arrascaeta (the latter a reserve, but the three from Flamengo). But in Europe there are Ronald Araújo (from Barcelona), Valverde (from Real Madrid) and Darwin Núñez, from Liverpool.
See Marcelo Bielsa’s photo gallery:
