Marcelo Bielsa

Marcelo Alberto Bielsa Caldera, born on July 21, 1955, in Rosario, Argentina, is a professional football manager with a distinguished career. He began his playing career as a defender for Newell’s Old Boys in 1975, also representing Argentina U23 in 1976. At the age of 25, Bielsa transitioned to coaching, where he has since made a significant impact on the sport. His early managerial roles included coaching the youth divisions of Newell’s Old Boys, eventually leading their first team to two Primera División Argentina titles in the early 1990s.

Bielsa’s career continued to progress with stints at Mexican clubs Atlas and Club América, and a return to Argentina where he guided Vélez Sarsfield to another league title in 1998. He took on national team management, leading Argentina from 1998 to 2004, a period that included winning the gold medal at the 2004 Olympic Games. From 2007 to 2011, he managed the Chile national team, achieving qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and earning widespread popularity for his team’s attacking style. His influence is noted through his meticulous approach and the development of players under his guidance, many of whom have become coaches themselves.

Later, Bielsa managed European clubs such as Athletic Bilbao (2011-2013), where he reached two cup finals, and Olympique de Marseille (2014-2015). A notable period was his tenure at Leeds United from 2018 to 2022. He successfully led Leeds to promotion to the Premier League in 2020 after a 16-year absence, securing the EFL Championship title. This achievement solidified his status as a cult figure among Leeds fans. In 2023, he took on the role of manager for the Uruguay national team, continuing to demonstrate his unique coaching philosophy on the international stage by leading them to two record-breaking wins against Brazil and Argentina during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.