Luis Suarez has revealed what he called problematic working conditions imposed by Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa during the 2024 Copa America, before urging fans not to blame players if “something goes wrong” going forward.
Bielsa joined La Celeste on May 15, 2023, and immediately influenced the way the national team operates, according to Suarez.
“At the Celeste complex, employees are not allowed to come in and welcome us and eat with us,” he said on DirecTV.
“They have to be careful even at the door they have to enter. It breaks my heart that this is life in the complex today… Matthias Vicino was the first to see this coming. No one questions the fact that a man like Vicino, who was as old as 30 years, left from one day to the next?”
Suarez continued to provide insight into the impact of Bielsa’s leadership during the 2024 Copa America, detailing the lack of communication between the coaching staff and the players.
Suarez said on the program: “There were situations in Copa America that hurt me, but I did not say them in order to coexist.” “Several players had a meeting to ask the coach to at least say good morning to us, but he didn’t even say hello.”
La Celeste had a good run in the 2024 Copa America, where they finished third after beating Canada 2-2 (4-3) on penalties. But beyond the results, Suarez painted a bleak picture behind the scenes.
He said: “Bielsa holds a conference and talks wonderful things about people, and in New York there was a day when he asked us not to stop to greet people, and I stood up and told him that we would greet people anyway.”
Since then, the striker has retired from the national team, playing his last match on September 6. He left as Uruguay’s all-time top scorer with 69 goals in 143 matches over 17 years.
However, before hanging up his shirt, Suarez indicated that he had spoken to Bielsa in the hope of improving the current situation.
“I had a five-minute conversation with Bielsa, he spoke as the leader of the group, and in the end he just answered: Thank you very much,” Suarez said.
With the focus now turning to the 2026 World Cup, the striker pleaded with fans to understand the situation. Although La Celeste’s team ranks third in the South American Confederation standings with 15 points in eight matches, Suarez called for caution.
He said: “Tomorrow, I ask people not to put pressure on the players if something goes wrong. Bielsa has dismissed the whole group, even in the way they train.”
Uruguay will return to action on October 11 against Peru in the next round of World Cup qualifiers.
