29 Jun 2026
Belgium-Iran: how to watch it on TV and streaming
Belgium and Iran compete in the second group match at the 2026 World Cup.
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29 June 2026
Bielsa leaves Uruguay with nothing after the World Cup disappointment
Marcelo Bielsa expresses disappointment over Uruguay's exit from the World Cup, taking full responsibility for the team's poor performances and lack of legacy.
Marcelo Bielsa has sensationally declared he leaves "nothing" for Uruguay to build on after their elimination from the World Cup was confirmed. Uruguay entered the field one man down and lost 1-0 to Spain, being ousted from Group H on Friday. Celeste have only two points in three games in North America and are now on a seven-game winless streak. The enigmatic and fiery Bielsa took charge of Uruguay in 2023, tasked with overseeing a rebuild as the likes of Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani retired from the national team. However, Bielsa's tenure now looks set to end in crisis, and the 70-year-old has put the blame squarely on himself. "I am responsible for this disappointment," said Bielsa, who has failed to get past the group stage in two of his three World Cup campaigns: with Argentina in 2002 and with Uruguay in 2026. His only successful group stage campaign was with Chile in 2010. "Obviously, I don't need to define this performance. If you ask me how my time [with the national team] will be remembered, it's a mandate that doesn't have left nothing. "I leave nothing to Uruguayan football, because any contribution I could make to a country in which I have worked for three years will not take root if results are not achieved."
Uruguay 0-1 Spain. Unfortunately, it wasn't a Uruguayan team we would have liked to see more of in this tournament. Spain progressed to the round of 16, despite not having been exciting, having only faced three shots on target in as many matches and recorded an xG of 0.54, the lowest of the tournament. Like Suarez and Cavani, veteran goalkeeper Fernando Muslera also retired, although he returned at Bielsa's request before the World Cup. However, Muslera had a tournament to forget, and his mistake led to Alex Baena's goal for Spain at the Guadalajara Stadium. He became the first goalkeeper in history (since 1966) to make three errors leading to a goal in the same World Cup, and was replaced at half-time. "Muslera decided to come off at half-time," Bielsa explained. “The decision I made was not to undermine Muslera's trust, but to maintain it.” Spain were not at their best, but the European champions won Group H. However, Luis de la Fuente was hit by potential injuries to wide midfielders Yeremy Pino and Nico Williams, who both came on as second-half substitutes. While Williams' issue is seen as minor, Pino is likely to miss the rest of the tournament. "[Williams] felt a nuisance," De la Fuente said. “It could be a strain, or it could be fatigue. But the worst thing is the great pain we feel for Yeremy, who could miss the rest of the World Cup." Asked about Bielsa, De la Fuente said: "I still love Bielsa. Players play matches. We didn't feel very comfortable in the match, but that's why the referee is there. It was a game played to the limit, extremely tough.
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