 Bielsa with Olympique de Marseille in 2015 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Marcelo Alberto Bielsa Caldera[1][2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 21 July 1955[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Rosario, Argentina[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Defender | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Uruguay (manager) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1975–1977 | Newell's Old Boys | 25 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1978–1979 | Instituto | 40 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1979–1980 | Argentino de Rosario | 48 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 113 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1976 | Argentina U23 | 4 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1987–1990 | Newell's Old Boys II | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1992 | Newell's Old Boys | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1995 | Atlas | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1996 | América | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–1998 | Vélez Sarsfield | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998 | Espanyol | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2004 | Argentina | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004 | Argentina U23 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2011 | Chile | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2013 | Athletic Bilbao | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2015 | Marseille | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016 | Lazio | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017 | Lille | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2022 | Leeds United | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023– | Uruguay | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | Uruguay U23 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Marcelo Alberto Bielsa Caldera[2] ([maɾˈselo alˈβeɾto ˈβjelsa],[a] nicknamed El Loco Bielsa [ˈloko ˈβjelsa],[a] meaning 'The Madman Bielsa'; born 21 July 1955) is an Argentine professional football manager who is the current manager of the Uruguay national team.[3] He is widely regarded as one of the most influential coaches of all time.[4][5][6][7] Bielsa is a former player having played as a defender for Newell's Old Boys, Instituto and Argentino de Rosario.
Bielsa played as a defender in Newell's Old Boys' First Division team and was a member of Argentina U23 in the 1976 Pre-Olympic Tournament,[8] but retired when he was 25 to focus on coaching.[9][10] Bielsa has managed several football clubs and also the national teams of Argentina and Chile. He developed his career as coach of Newell's Old Boys where he won several titles in the early 1990s, before moving to Mexico in 1992, briefly coaching Club Atlas and Club América. Bielsa returned to Argentina in 1997 to manage Vélez Sarsfield, leading them to the 1998 league title (Clausura).[11]
With Chile, he achieved cult status due to the improved results of the national team under his leadership.[12] His personality and gestures during his stint in Chile captured the attention of media and unleashed a series of minor controversies both in sports and politics.[13][14] He had a two year-spell in Spain at Athletic Bilbao between 2011 and 2013, leading them to domestic and continental cup finals in the first season, though they lost both. In May 2014, Bielsa was appointed coach of Marseille, starting with good results but finishing outside the expected first three places in Ligue 1, resigning after just over a year at the French club.[15] He remains highly regarded by OM fans for his offensive playing style and personality.[16]
In June 2018, Bielsa was appointed manager of then-Championship club Leeds United, leading the club to promotion back to the Premier League in 2020 after a 16-year absence as a result of winning the 2019–20 EFL Championship. Leeds United is the club at which he spent the most time as manager in his career,[17][18][19] taking charge of 170 games before departing in February 2022. He is considered a cult figure among Leeds fans.
In 2023, he became manager of Uruguay, becoming only the second non-Uruguayan manager to coach the team. He led Uruguay to two record-breaking wins against Brazil and Argentina.
- ^ "Acta del Partido celebrado el 01 de junio de 2013, en Madrid" [Minutes of the Match held on 1 June 2013, in Madrid] (in Spanish). Royal Spanish Football Federation. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
- ^ a b c d "MARCELO BIELSA: THE FACTS BEHIND THE MAN". Leeds United. 15 June 2018. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
- ^ "Marcelo Bielsa Profile". PlanetSport. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
- ^ "Marcelo Bielsa: The Most Influential Coach of the 21st Century". 7 September 2021.
- ^ "Marcelo Bielsa: In Others' Words".
- ^ Anyanwu, John (13 February 2021). "Marcelo Bielsa's Influence On Guardiola, Zidane & Pochettino". Soofootball.
- ^ "Bielsa and Guardiola: How 'incredible' Leeds boss influenced the greatest coach of the modern era". Goal.com.
- ^ "Preolímpico 1976: Cuando las "reglas" y los "criterios" nos dejaron afuera de Montreal". Asociación de Historiadores e Investigadores del Fútbol Uruguayo (in Spanish). 2 September 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
Ese equipo, además, lo integraba un tal Marcelo Bielsa, back derecho. Fue titular en todos los duelos, menos ante los orientales. Tan bueno fue lo del valor de Newell´s Old Boys que hasta fue incluido en el Equipo Ideal.
- ^ "Marcelo Bielsa: El Loco's Journey From Argentina to Footballing Immortality in Europe". 90min. 10 June 2019. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
- ^ "What Leeds fans can expect from Pep Guardiola's idol, Marcelo Bielsa: the crazy one". FourFourTwo. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
- ^ de 2013, 30 de Mayo (18 November 2017). "Vélez le ganaba a Huracán y con el 'Loco' Bielsa lograba un nuevo campeonato". infobae. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Marcelo Bielsa, el mejor DT de la Roja según los hinchas". Archived from the original on 23 September 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
- ^ Vergara, Carlos (18 August 2012). "Chile. Furor por una película que parodia a Piñera". La Nación (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ "Bielsa: "Disculpas a los chilenos que pude incomodar"". Diario y Radio U Chile (in Spanish). 2 July 2010. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
En una breve carta dirigida la país, el Director Técnico de la Selección chilena, Marcelo Bielsa, buscó terminar con la polémica suscita por su frío saludo al Presidente Sebastián Piñera, durante la visita oficial del plantel a La Moneda.
- ^ "Marcelo Bielsa Resigns as Olympique Marseille Manager: Latest Details, Reaction". Bleacher Report. 8 August 2015.
- ^ "Ligue 1 : Pourquoi l'OM reste nostalgique de Bielsa". Eurosport (in French). 10 January 2016.
- ^ Heppenstall, Ross. "Marcelo Bielsa has Leeds United fans dreaming of a return to Europe". The Times. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
- ^ Liew, Jonathan. "Marcelo Bielsa wasn't expected to last at Leeds United – but he's leading the club back to glory". New Statesman. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
- ^ Bennett, Tom. "Burnout? What burnout? Leeds United's strong end to the season could redefine Marcelo Bielsa's reputation". Associated Newspapers Limited. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
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