The night that promised relief ended in another blow for Uruguay. Marcelo Bielsa, with a hard expression and lost gaze, could barely stammer an analysis after the 2-2 draw against Cape Verde in the second matchday of Group H of the 2026 World Cup. ‘We drew two games that were winnable,’ the Rosario native blurted out, making it clear that frustration is eating him up.
The match had two very different faces. The first, when Agustín Canobbio scored the equalizer just before halftime, unleashing a contained shout from Bielsa, who shook his fist from his classic cooler seat. The second, upon hearing the final whistle, when he got up without greeting the rival coach and walked quickly to the locker room, eyes fixed on the grass.
In the press conference, Bielsa was self-critical but did not hold back his barbs. ‘There is no doubt that Uruguay is a better team than Cape Verde, but that has to be proven,’ he fired. And he added: ‘We deserved to win both games, even with the goals we conceded.’ The tactical analysis was thorough: ‘The first 20 minutes, the end of the first half, and the start of the second were key. There we lacked instinct to hurt the opponent. They told us, «have the ball,» and we didn’t create danger; on top of that, we conceded a goal.’
Asked about the late substitutions, Bielsa defended himself: ‘I was responding to the moments of the match. The introduction of Brian Rodríguez, Darwin Núñez, and De La Cruz aimed to solve the offensive deficit, but perhaps they were late. I’m not sure.’ On Darwin, he justified his lack of minutes: ‘I can’t say whether he can play 45 minutes or a full match. He arrived at the World Cup with few minutes at Flamengo, and I didn’t give him the chance to show his ability.’
The bad news does not end there. Bielsa confirmed that neither De Arrascaeta nor Araújo will be available for the decisive match against Spain. ‘They have no chance of playing,’ he stated. Thus, Uruguay arrives at the final matchday with only two points, forced to win and hope for a favorable result between Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde.
‘It’s a very big challenge, but we have the obligation to beat them. I am responsible for us having only two points, but the team has the opportunity to improve its image against a great rival,’ he said. On the defensive errors, he was blunt: ‘They don’t deserve magic recipes. We paid a very high price: conceding two goals like the ones we conceded helps an inferior team stay in the game.’
La Celeste is against the ropes. Bielsa, with his straightforward style, assumes the blame but does not give up. On Sunday, against Spain, Uruguay will play its last card. Either win or go home.
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Para mí esto huele a traición de los de arriba. Bielsa llora porque los millonarios no corren, mientras los pibes de los barrios se matan por la Celeste. Yo creo que contra España hay que ir con la garra del pueblo, no con la academia de los empresarios. ¡Arriba los que luchan!
Para mí Bielsa es un vendepatria que nos trajo este desastre. Empatamos dos partidos ganables y ahora España nos va a pasar por arriba. Uruguay no merece esto che andate ya si no sabés ganar. Afuera los mediocres esto es celeste o nada.