Diego Lugano: Bielsa polluted the atmosphere in the Uruguay team, he should not be allowed to participate in the World Cup

Former Uruguay team captain Diego Lugano strongly criticized head coach Marcelo Bielsa after the team failed to enter the playoff round of the 2026 World Cup. "Bielsa has polluted the air, he still does not understand where he is. The players never understand Bielsa. That is a coach who should not be at the World Cup, but he is bound by a million-dollar contract. I feel sorry for the players, because they cannot compete." This is a mistake that Uruguay, hopefully, will never repeat again," Lugano told Telemundo. Uruguay finished third in Group E with two points and did not make the list of eight best third-placed teams. The team has ended its journey in the tournament.