Marcelo
UEFA Europa Conference League · Attacker · #39 · Brazil · 34 yrs
Marcelo news
Uruguay 0-1 Spain: World Cup 2026 – live
⚽️ Kick-off time: 6pm local/8pm EDT/1am BST/10am AEST⚽️ Third-place table | Player guide | Group tables | Mail Tom⚽️ Cape Verde 0-0 Saudi Arabia – live news with Beau DureJust a reminder if you see Marcelo Bielsa on the apps DO NOT swipe. This from Sid Lowe’s preview of today’s game:When Uruguay were beaten 5-1 by the USA in November, he described himself as “toxic”, admitting: “Those who have a relationship with me come out of it worse. There are toxic people who only see errors, who demand, who correct, who are never satisfied with anything, who only like to talk about work, who go to eat and take a newspaper with them because they don’t want to integrate with the rest. But do you know what that behaviour is based on? Fear. One doesn’t enjoy winning; he fears losing much more.” Continue reading...
Bielsa’s first meeting with former pupil De la Fuente comes at fractious moment for Uruguay
Spain present a formidable obstacle for a Uruguay side needing a win to progress – and quell a rebellious dressing-room moodIn the summer of 2011, at about the time Marcelo Bielsa was arriving at Athletic Bilbao, Luis de la Fuente was leaving. Bielsa was the revolution. De la Fuente was a former left-back with long, curly locks who had come through the academy, played eight years in the first team and coached Athletic’s under-19s and B team but now he was joining Deportivo Alavés, 50 miles south and in the third tier. Eleven games later, he was back again.Sacked from the first senior club job he had, and the last too, De la Fuente was sure that someone would call but time passed, no one did and he started to wonder whether they would until the Spanish federation got in touch a year and a half later and asked him to coach its under-19s. In the meantime, as the months passed and the concern grew, he returned to Athletic’s Lezama training ground, convinced he had much to learn and that he knew where to do so. Continue reading...
Who are ya? Behind the scenes of the official World Cup portrait photographs
Poses and backstage snaps showcase the players’ personalities and the mechanics of Fifa’s obligatory photoshootsLionel Messi of Argentina stands rigidly in front of the camera. Marc Cucurella of Spain whips his hair and appears to boogie. Diego Moreira of Belgium covers his eyes with his forearm and reveals an eerie tattoo. Harry Kane leans awkwardly on to one knee.There are 1,248 football players and 48 managers at the World Cup, and none could escape the obligatory media duty that is the official portrait – whether or not they had a fun pose in mind.(Above) Diego Moreira of Belgium obscures his eyes for an eerie portrait. (Below) Marc Cucurella of Spain, Ronald Araújo of Uruguay and various other familiar faces. Continue reading...
Celtic move for defenders Smajlovic & Saracchi - gossip
Celtic and Olympiacos have had bids of £3.5m for centre-back Zinedin Smajlovic rejected by Sandefjord, who want closer to £4.3m for the 22-year-old. Meanwhile, Celtic are set to intensify talks with Boca Juniors over a permanent deal for Marcelo Saracchi after the 28-year-old left-back was told by head coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena he is not in his plans after his loan to the Scottish champions. Reported Celtic transfer target Soufiane El-Faouzi is poised to sign a new contract with Schalke until 2030 that will hand the 23-year-old midfielder an annual salary of nearly £1m.
Why isn’t Ronald Araujo playing for Uruguay against Cape Verde at the 2026 World Cup?
Why is Ronald Araujo not playing for Uruguay against Cape Verde today? Get the official injury update on the Barcelona defender at the 2026 World Cup. The absence of Barcelona star Ronald Araujo from Uruguay’s backline remains a central talking point as La Celeste prepares to battle Cape Verde on Matchday 2 of the 2026 World Cup group phase. Widely considered the defensive anchor of Marcelo Bielsa’s tactical blueprint, the elite centre-back has been entirely omitted from the squad. The official cause behind his sudden absence is a painful calf muscle tear that has severely limited his mobility. The physical setback occurred during one of Uruguay‘s final full-contact training sessions right before the tournament commenced. Despite traveling to Spain to meet with specialist medical consultants and maximize his clinical recovery timeline, Araujo has not yet progressed to on-field training. To shield the 27-year-old from aggregate muscle damage, the coaching staff opted to sideline him completely for the opening phase of the tournament. When is Ronald Araujo expected to return? Uruguay’s medical camp remains hopeful that extensive physical therapy will allow the center-back to hit the pitch for their blockbuster Group H finale against Spain on June 26. The decision to hold Araújo out of today’s clash in Miami represents a highly calculated risk by the Uruguayan Football Association. Managing player longevity is vital, especially with Group H turning into a major dogfight after initial matchday stalemates. With the Barcelona defender unavailable for selection, Bielsa has leaned on a revamped defensive partnership consisting of Club America’s Sebastian Caceres and Napoli’s Mathias Olivera in the heart of the box. Guillermo Varela fills the vacancy on the right side of the defensive block.