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One thing is certain about Uruguay's head coach, Marcelo Bielsa – he is truly one of a kind. Whether it's his nickname "El Loco" (The Madman), his obsessive attention to detail, or his habit of perching on a cooler box during matches, the veteran coach always finds a way to make headlines.
It seems the 70-year-old tactician reinforced this reputation during his official FIFA World Cup photoshoot. All teams and coaches at the World Cup participate in various photoshoots as part of the event, with short videos and pictures showcasing the squads before their matches.
Unlike most involved, who relish their moment in the spotlight, Bielsa was captured with a stone-faced expression, looking down rather than directly into the camera – something immediately noticed by observant fans and journalists alike.
Following his team's 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia, the coach was unimpressed by media questions regarding his pose, which included suggestions that it might be a form of protest. "I owe no explanation; the photo was taken as it was taken. I am not a model," Bielsa stated succinctly.
"There's a limit to what we need to explain. If I wear glasses, why do I wear glasses? You look someone in the eye, why do you do that? There's nothing wrong with wearing glasses, looking someone in the eye, or looking down," the Uruguay coach added.
It's worth recalling that Bielsa has been a vocal critic of the current World Cup and FIFA, expressing his dissatisfaction with the sport's transformation into a money-making machine, as well as the security conditions and pitches during the last Copa América.
Uruguay's second group stage match is against the tournament's surprise package so far, Cape Verde.
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