FIFA World Cup 2026: Uruguay players revolt against head coach Marco Bielsa ahead of must win meeting with Spain

These tensions started to arise after Uruguay played out a frustrating 2-2 draw against first-timers Cape Verde in their previous group outing

Published: June 26, 2026, 3:56 PM IST

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Maximilliano Araujo (L) of Uruguay celebrates his score during the group H match between Saudi Arabia and Uruguay at the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Miami Stadium, Miami, the United States, June 15, 2026. (Photo: Xinhua via IANS)

In a latest development, it is being revealed that players of the Uruguay national team have revolted against their head coach Marco Bielsa ahead of the South American outfit’s must win FIFA World Cup 2026 game against Spain in their Group H finale tomorrow. Both the teams need a win to secure their spots in the round of 32.

According to Uruguyan Sports News outlet El Espectador Deportes, few of the senior players requested for a meeting with Marco Bielsa over the demanding training sessions and tactical approach. Senior figures like Sergio Rochet, Manuel Ugarte, Rodrigo Bentancur and Federico Valverde are among those who asked for a chat on Friday.

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The players reportedly told Marco Bielsa that they are displeased with the way their training sessions have gone about, lacking intensity to start with. The same report also suggested that complacency in managing workload has left several players deal with a number of injuries.

They also talked about Uruguay’s possible tactical approach against Spain in their Group H finale. The players asked for a more defensive setup by sitting deep and looking to punish La Roja on counter attacks.

El Espectador Deportes further claimed that Marco Bielsa welcomed the idea as he sat down with the entire squad for a lengthy chat. Neither Bielsa nor the Uruguayan federation have commented publicly on these developments.

These tensions started to arise after Uruguay played out a frustrating 2-2 draw against first-timers Cape Verde in their previous group outing. The inaugural winners showed poor application defensively to allow their opponents an easy route to grab a crucial point before the final matchday of the group stages.

Uruguay need a win at all costs to keep their knockout hopes alive but for that, they will have to beat a formidable Spanish side which thrashed Saudi Arabia 4-0 in their most recent match. Cape Verde can also reach the round of 32 if they are able to beat the Saudi Arabians in the concurrent Group H fixture.

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The first-timers will not only have to win by a big margin but also hope for Spain to defeat Uruguay. Both of the Group H matches will start from 5:30 AM (IST) onwards on Saturday, June 27.