Diego Forlan, the former Manchester United and Atletico Madrid forward, has been named the new head coach for Uruguay's senior and Under-20 national football teams. He replaces Marcelo Bielsa, who left after Uruguay's early exit from the World Cup. Forlan, a celebrated player and 2010 World Cup Golden Ball winner, will bring his experience and leadership to the role, starting with the Under-20 squad.
Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa said the hydration breaks introduced in each half of matches at the World Cup add nothing to football while destroying the sport's cultural essence.
Uruguay has announced a star-studded squad, including Real Madrid's Federico Valverde and Liverpool's Darwin Nunez, for an international friendly against India in Kolkata on October 6. The match will also mark Diego Forlan's debut as head coach for Uruguay, who will also face Panama and Brazil in other friendlies.
FIFA's new hydration breaks at the 2026 World Cup have sparked controversy, with coaches including Marcelo Bielsa and Gustavo Alfaro claiming they disrupt football's rhythm and serve commercial interests more than player welfare.
India faces a challenging FIFA international friendly against two-time world champions Uruguay in Kolkata, aiming to recover from a 0-4 defeat by Brazil.
Spain defeated Uruguay 1-0 in a crucial Group H match, with Alex Baena scoring the decisive goal. This victory secured Spain's top spot in the group and a place in the World Cup knockout stage, while Uruguay, managed by Marcelo Bielsa, was eliminated from the tournament. Cape Verde also advanced from the group.
Despite significant efforts including slashed ticket prices and complimentary passes, Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium saw a disappointingly low turnout for India's friendly matches against Brazil and Uruguay, raising concerns about fan engagement in Indian football, even with legendary players like Diego Forlan present.
India's national football team suffered a 6-1 defeat against two-time former world champions Uruguay in an international friendly in Kolkata.
Uruguay head coach Diego Forlan discusses the team's recent World Cup group-stage exits, emphasising the need for calm and confidence in rebuilding the squad. He highlights his philosophy of hard work, adaptability, and playing good football, while acknowledging the pressure of managing a national team with a rich history. Forlan also reflects on his initial games as coach and the importance of team cohesion.
Cape Verde, making their World Cup debut, have defied expectations by drawing with football giants Spain and Uruguay.
Spain have gone 33 matches unbeaten and faced opponents of every kind along the way, which is why defender Aymeric Laporte is not losing sleep over what Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay might bring to their World Cup Group H clash.
The 49-year-old said he had run out of energy after six years in the high-pressure job.
Chileans thrilled with their place in the 2010 World Cup finals will flock to the National stadium on Wednesday looking to celebrate with their team and give a show of thanks to coach Marcelo Bielsa.
Cape Verde pulled off a stunning 2-2 draw against two-time World Cup winners Uruguay in Miami on Sunday.
Several sports teams around the world have paid a hefty price for spying on their opponents over the years but the potential financial cost to English soccer club Southampton for their infraction could be the heaviest.
Former Argentina boss Marcelo Bielsa resigned as manager of Lazio after just two days in charge, the Italian Serie A club said in a statement on Friday.
Captain Jose Maria Gimenez said the players were trying to defend their families.
Defender Roberto Cereceda was dropped from Chile's World Cup squad on Tuesday as coach Marcelo Bielsa finalised his 23-man party for South Africa.
Fourteen stadiums across the US will host the Copa America matches.
Argentina's road to redemption after their 2002 World Cup failure will be long and hard but worth the effort, says the striker.
Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao should serve up a Europa League final to remember on Wednesday and remind the continent that Spain is not just about Real Madrid or Barcelona.
Rediff.com brings you the top highlights of the soccer weekend.
Athletic Bilbao, conquerors of Manchester United in the previous round, continued their Europa League run by scoring three times in the last 20 minutes to win their quarter-final first leg tie 4-2 at Schalke 04 on Thursday.
Brazil's disappointingly one-sided win over Argentina in the Copa America final was a victory for muscle over finesse and could prompt the losers to revert to a more physical, less entertaining, style.
Leeds United returned to the Premier League after a 16-year absence on Friday as West Bromwich Albion's loss at Huddersfield Town guaranteed them a top-two finish in the Championship. Three times English champions, Leeds were relegated from the Premier League in 2004 after hitting financial trouble and being forced to sell a host of big-name players such as Robbie Keane, Jonathan Woodgate and Lee Bowyer.
The message of support from Newell's was posted on social media hours before Saturday's home game against Barracas Central in the Argentine league.
Marcelo Bielsa performed something close to a miracle by guiding Chile to the World Cup finals. On Wednesday he did even better. His team beat Honduras 1-0 to register its first World Cup victory in exactly 48 years.
Striker Humberto Suazo scored twice, including a stoppage-time winner, to give Chile a 3-2 away win over Venezuela in a World Cup qualifier on Thursday. The goals all came in the final 35 minutes of a pulsating match as Chile picked up their second away win in four days, vindicating coach Marcelo Bielsa's controversial decision to field a young team and leave out several top players.
Second-placed Manchester United edged closer towards qualification for the Champions League
Chile produced an inspired performance to beat disjointed Argentina 1-0 win their World Cup qualifier on Wednesday.
Argentina have been treated with suspicion by the public since the World Cup last year.
Chile have never beaten Argentina in open play in 27 Copa America meetings in 100 years yet have twice in 12 months dashed the hopes of Lionel Messi's team of lifting a major trophy.
City boss Pep Guardiola was named Manager of the Season for a third time.
A stunning overhead kick by Eduard Bello helped Venezuela hold Brazil to a 1-1 draw in their 2026 World Cup qualifier on Thursday.
Saudi Arabia took third place in Group C and will feature in a fourth phase of qualifiers in October alongside Indonesia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Oman.
A third-minute goal from Christian Pulisic set the United States on their way to a 2-0 victory over Bolivia in their Group C opener at the Copa America on Sunday.
Marriner also ruled out a goal for the Saints from a quickly-taken free kick just before halftime, saying he had not blown the whistle before James Ward-Prowse played in Che Adams, who put the ball in the net.
