Uruguay

Taking over as manager of La Celeste in May 2023, the enigmatic Marcelo Bielsa won six of his first eight games - including victories against Brazil and Argentina - but things have gone downhill from there. Uruguay managed a respectable third-place finish at the 2024 Copa América, but in truth it was a Pyrrhic campaign as the team's form and morale took a precipitous dive following a strong start. Despite improvements in recent form, the national team remains mired in disagreements off the pitch; Luis Suárez following his international retirement alluded to estrangement between Bielsa and the players, and even more recently Bielsa has clashed with the camps of Giorgian de Arrascaeta and Ronald Araújo over management of their respective injuries.

These issues are likely compounded by the physical demand Bielsa places on his players, requiring positional fluidity with frequent rotations and a vigorous high press out of a shape that can resemble a 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 5-3-2 or anything in between. Uruguay's midfielders - especially the seemingly positionless Federico Valverde - are quick to commit high when there is an opportunity to win the ball, and when they do so, it's imperative that other players fill in the gaps left behind. It's a relentless approach that produces results if executed correctly, but can also invite significant risk.