Over half of Marcelo Bielsa's former retired players pursued football management

Bielsa is currently the manager of the Uruguay national football team.

There are only a few managers who have changed the style and trajectory of football with their pragmatic tactics, and one of them is Argentine manager Marcelo Bielsa.

Under him, the football world has witnessed many players choosing a path in football management and laying down their foundation in their respective clubs after learning from Biesla’s methods.

He is widely regarded as one of the most influential managers in football history. Bielsa’s style of play has been lauded by many football stars and managers. Even one of the renowned coaches, Pep Guardiola, has praised the Argentine and what he has done for football.

But most importantly, we should also look at the fact that he has aided many players who wanted to establish themselves as managers. The 70-year-old, as per the report, has helped over 100 retired players become managers.

How Marcelo Bielsa has influenced retired players to pursue a career in football management

Research was carried out in 2021 by Karan Tejwani about players who had the opportunity to play under the current Uruguay head coach and later retired, subsequently deciding to pursue a career in management.

It is believed that out of 280 retired players who had played under Marcelo Bielsa, 163 of them had become head coaches after retirement.

Furthermore, the updated list from 2025 also includes Pablo Hernández, Carlos Tévez, Javier Mascherano, and Iñigo Pérez, who have also embarked on managerial careers.

It is worth noting that Biesla continues to have a huge influence on the players to establish themselves as managers. He is among the few head coaches who have been the backbone in this career pursuit for many such players.

Meanwhile, he is the current coach of Uruguay, and under him, the North American team have fared brilliantly as they are fourth in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

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