"Go Home on Your Own"... Uruguay Cancels Charter Flight After Failing to Reach Round of 32

Bielsa Admits, "I Left Nothing in Three Years"
Discord Between Coach and Squad Preceded Tournament; Fallout Intensifies After Elimination

'South American football powerhouse' Uruguay faced an unprecedented situation after being eliminated from the group stage of the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup, with even the players’ chartered flight home being cancelled. Locally, there is strong speculation about the possible resignation of Head Coach Marcelo Bielsa.

According to foreign media such as Spain’s Marca and USA Today, the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) canceled the chartered flight that was scheduled to transport the squad from their base camp in Mexico to the capital, Montevideo, as reported on the 28th (Korean time).

Uruguayan defender Jose Maria Gimenez is distressed after the 0-1 loss to Spain in the Group H third match held at the Guadalajara Stadium in Mexico on the 27th (Korean time). Photo by Yonhap News

As a result, instead of returning home as a group, the players must now book regular commercial flights individually to return either to their respective clubs or to Uruguay. Marca described this as "a symbolic move that shows the aftermath of an earlier-than-expected elimination."

Before the tournament, Uruguay had been considered a strong contender along with Spain to advance from the group. However, in Group H, they drew consecutively with Saudi Arabia (1-1) and Cape Verde (2-2), and in the final match, lost 0-1 to Spain. With only two points, they finished third in the group. Subsequently, they failed to qualify for the round of 32 after falling behind in the competition among third-placed teams from each group.

After the elimination, Bielsa took full responsibility, stating, "I have left nothing behind for Uruguayan football in these three years." Immediately after the match, he showed his emotions by raising his voice at reporters and ending a live interview in just 30 seconds.

Marcelo Bielsa, Head Coach of the Uruguay National Team. Photo by Yonhap News

The atmosphere within the national team had already been tense even before the tournament. Last year, Uruguay’s star striker Luis Suarez publicly criticized Bielsa, saying, "Coach Bielsa has split the entire squad," and revealed that some players had even considered leaving the national team. He claimed that the coach rarely greeted the players and created an excessively rigid atmosphere by restricting even contact between staff and players. Bielsa later acknowledged, "Suarez's remarks have affected my authority."

It is reported that the conflict deepened during this World Cup. According to The Guardian, before the Spain match, key players such as Federico Valverde, Rodrigo Bentancur, Manuel Ugarte, and Sergio Rochet requested a meeting with Bielsa to demand more intense training and tactical changes. However, Bielsa refused and instead held a lengthy team meeting, during which some players reportedly left before it ended.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.