Former Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa named head coach of Uruguay

The 67-year-old had been out of football management for almost 15 months.

RETURN: Former Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa is the new manager of Uruguay. (Zac Goodwin/PA)

Marcelo Bielsa has been appointed as Uruguay head coach.

The 67-year-old had been out of football management since leaving Leeds almost 15 months ago.

The Uruguayan Football Association confirmed Bielsa’s appointment on a deal running until the 2026 World Cup.

🫡 ¡𝐁𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐝𝐨, 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐨!

Bielsa asume como técnico de la Selección Mayor. #ElEquipoQueNosUne pic.twitter.com/5kLDD2aqsC

— Selección Uruguaya (@Uruguay) May 15, 2023

He succeeds Diego Alonso as national team boss.

Alonso’s contract expired after the World Cup in Qatar earlier this season, where Uruguay suffered a shock group-stage exit.

Bielsa served as manager of Argentina from 1998 to 2004 and he also had a four-year stint in charge of Chile.

Bielsa guided Leeds back to the Premier League from the Championship in 2020 and was one of the most popular managers in the club’s history.

🇺🇾 “𝐄𝐥 𝐩𝐮́𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐚 𝐣𝐮𝐞𝐠𝐨 𝐲 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬”

Llegó la hora. #ElEquipoQueNosUne pic.twitter.com/4HQPlXF5ly

— Selección Uruguaya (@Uruguay) May 15, 2023

But he left in February last year following a run of four successive league defeats.

His lengthy managerial career has also included spells with Athletic Bilbao, Marseille and Lille.

Uruguay are currently 16th in FIFA’s world rankings, with Bielsa’s first major campaign at the helm set to be next year’s Copa America in the United States.