Marcelo Bielsa Acknowledges Impact of Luis Suarez’s Criticism on His Authority as Uruguay Loses to Peru

Uruguay manager Marcelo Bielsa has admitted that his authority was “affected” following public criticism from Luis Suarez, the country’s all-time leading scorer. Suarez, who retired from international football in September, recently expressed dissatisfaction with Bielsa’s coaching style, claiming it had caused division among the squad and led some players to consider quitting.

Speaking to DSports earlier this month, Suarez urged fans not to blame the players when things go wrong, warning that “players will reach a limit and they will explode” under Bielsa’s management. He also criticized the treatment of midfielder Agustin Canobbio during the 2024 Copa America, accusing the coach of relegating him to a ball boy role and isolating staff from the team.

In response, Bielsa acknowledged the criticism, saying, “I don’t ignore what happened, and I know that my authority was affected in some way.” However, the veteran Argentine coach dismissed any suggestion that the controversy influenced Uruguay’s 1-0 defeat to Peru in their World Cup qualifier on Saturday.

“What happened during the week does not condition or explain how we played,” Bielsa added. “It didn’t alter the conviction with which the match was prepared and the way the group and the coaching staff worked. The preparation was the same as always.”

Despite the loss, Uruguay remains third in the World Cup qualifying standings with 15 points from nine games, trailing Argentina and Colombia. Bielsa, known for his intense training methods and attention to detail, was appointed in May 2023 to guide Uruguay’s campaign toward the 2026 World Cup.