Bielsa left a "zero", Diego Forlán takes over the collapsing Uruguay.

Marcelo Bielsa was asked at the press conference after Uruguay's World Cup exit what he left for Uruguayan football.

His answer was one word: Nothing.

Three years of coaching, condensed into a single word. Two-time world champions, zero wins in three group stage matches. Saudi Arabia, 1-1. Cape Verde, 2-2. Spain, 0-1. Three group games, and the two-time world champions couldn't secure a single victory.

Against Saudi Arabia, Uruguay had 63% possession, 28 shots to 7, and an xG of 1.72 to 0.66. They dominated the game but drew 1-1. Against Cape Verde, they conceded first, took the lead, but were still held to a 2-2 draw, with 65% possession and an xG of 2.31 to 0.88. Such opponents are supposed to be easy points at the World Cup. Cape Verde's national population is just over half a million, not enough to fill half of the Centenario Stadium. Uruguay turned possession into a rosary, but couldn't find the net.

In the decisive match against Spain, they had 33% possession, only 1 shot on target from 5 attempts, and an xG of just 0.20 to 0.86. Three group games, and the two-time world champions couldn't win a single one.

Bielsa is gone. AUF President Ignacio Alonso appeared on Teledoce to announce the successor: Diego Forlán, 47 years old. The contract runs until March 2027.

That date is the key point. The AUF Executive Committee elections are scheduled for March to April next year, and the new administration will decide whether to make the coach permanent. Forlán has a caretaker contract. He's watching the house for someone else until next spring, handling friendlies, the U20 team, and the early stages of qualifiers, but without a full tournament cycle to prove himself. Alonso said talks with Forlán have been ongoing since 2022. After four years of discussions, he gets a temporary contract. With elections at the end of the year, no one wants to commit to a long-term deal before the vote.

The 2010 World Cup Golden Ball, two European Golden Shoes, 36 goals in 112 international matches—these are Forlán's credentials as a player. The coaching bench doesn't recognize the Golden Ball. He managed Peñarol, with 11 matches: 4 wins, 4 losses, 3 draws, and was sacked in under a year. He then took over second-division side Atenas and was dismissed after 12 rounds. His entire coaching career spans 23 matches: 8 wins, 7 losses, 8 draws, a win rate of 34.8%. He hasn't touched a coaching role since September 2021. A five-year gap.

Now he's back, taking over the national team directly, while also managing the U20 youth team. The AUF's official press release describes him as "full of passion" with "a very interesting project." A man who has won only 8 out of 23 matches is relying on passion to clean up Bielsa's mess.

The most glaring part of Bielsa's mess isn't just the tactics board. On the day the World Cup squad was announced, Luis Suárez wasn't on it. 69 goals, Uruguay's all-time top scorer, volunteered to play, but Bielsa said no. The load-bearing wall of the locker room was removed before the team even departed. During the tournament, Valverde and Ugarte publicly complained about the training methods and tactical arrangements. Bielsa himself later admitted, "Nobody was interested in what I transmitted."

The iron-fisted coach openly acknowledged that the players weren't listening to him, essentially admitting the collapse of locker room order. Forlán is taking over a team with a fractured spirit.

Key midfielder Ugarte has also fallen. On June 26, during the first half of the match against Spain, he suffered a severe left knee ligament injury and was carried off on a stretcher. Manchester United confirmed a long-term absence. Before Forlán has even officially sat on the coaching bench, he's already lost his most tireless runner.

In the coming September, October, and November, he can only lead friendlies while also overseeing the U20 team. Uruguay is one of the hosts for the 2030 World Cup, so they automatically qualify. How the qualifiers will be played and whether he can lead the team depends entirely on the new administration next year. The AUF's stance is clear: hold the fort first, and decide after the March elections next year.

Bielsa said he left nothing for Uruguayan football.

The person coming to take over this "nothing" doesn't even have a pen in hand.