Overview
- Uruguay were held to a 1-1 draw by Saudi Arabia on Monday when Maximiliano Araujo’s 80th-minute equaliser cancelled Abdulelah Al-Amri’s first-half goal.
- After the match Bielsa dismissed suggestions the photoshoot was a protest, saying “I’m not a model” and insisting he owed no explanation for the image.
- Less than 24 hours before the opener Uruguay’s flight from Cancún to Miami was delayed by airline permitting and paperwork problems that prompted public statements from the AUF and FIFA.
- Bielsa has rebuilt Uruguay since taking charge in 2023 with relentless pressing, heavy rotation and demanding training, a style players describe as physically and mentally punishing.
- Uruguay return to Miami to face Cape Verde next, and unverified reports that Bielsa will quit after the tournament are circulating but remain limited in sourcing.