The Uruguayan team is a challenge worthy of Marcelo Bielsa: renew, train young people, win

They say it in Montevideo Bielsa asked about Andrés Ferrari, a 20-year-old striker that Defensor Sporting has just sold to Spanish side Villarreal, who missed the South American Sub 20 tournament through injury but will now play the World Cup in Argentina. It is a Crazy legitimate, like when he took office in Vélez (1997) and surprised with some names of the inferiors that many leaders did not know and shortly after he put Lucas Castromán as holder, 17 years, as a winger-midfielder, in front of a three-man defence.

Bielsa knows Uruguay have heroes who have played in four World Cups (Luis Suárez, Edinson Cavani, Diego Godín and Fernando Muslera, all between 36 and 37 years old) and that the goal is renewal. Of them, only Godín said that his celestial stage was over. The challenge seems tailor-made for Bielsa, who is more motivated by training young people and who, true to this, it has been confirmed, will lead the Sub 23 team which will aim to be an Olympic player.

It will be the turn of those who have distinguished themselves in Europe, such as Federico Valverde (24, Real Madrid), Ronald Araújo (24, Barcelona), Darwin Núñez (23, Liverpool) and others less well-known such as COME Manuel Ugarte22-year-old central midfielder, who plays for Sporting Lisbon but who they say has a future in the Premier League.

And also some Bielsist surprises.

In goal, Muslera was no longer a starter in Qatar 2022 and in defense he continues to have José María Giménez, from Atlético de Madrid, plus Araújo. In the middle of the pitch is where he seems to have the most variety, adding Nicolás De La Cruz (25, River), Giorgian de Arrascaeta (28, Flamengo) and Rodrigo Bentancur (25, Tottenham), who can’t count on now due to injury.

They are also added Fabricio Diazanother central midfielder, 19 years old and from local Liverpool, who wants Barcelona from Spain.

The succession of the Salto duo seems more complicated: Suárez and Cavani, both 36 years old. Messi’s friend plays for the Gremio of Brazil, with continuity; Riquelme’s dream for Boca tries to dribble relegation with the Spanish Valencia. Will the Fool take this into account?

Attention is active Darwin Nunezwho in his first season at Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool scored 15 goals in 42 games, but went on a run of five successive games without celebrating.

Below are Facundo Torres (23, Orlando City). Or Álvaro Rodríguez, 18 years old and 1.92 tall. Real Madrid did not give up on him for the Under-20 World Cup. Carlo Ancelotti gave him a few minutes and assured that “next season he will be in the first team because he has a quality that few have at his age, he has an important height, he’s a powerful player, he’s good with his head, he handles the ball well.” In the recent South American category, he scored 5 goals, the same as Luciano Rodríguez (19), from Uruguayan Liverpool.

They, together with Ferrari, seem to be leading the renewal. Plus a few Bielsa-style surprises.