Bielsa: Playa del Carmen ‘couldn’t be better’ for Uruguay

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Uruguay manager Marcelo Bielsa has heaped praise on the Mexican resort city of Playa del Carmen, where his team is based for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, calling it an ideal location for their preparations.

“We couldn’t imagine a better place, not only because of the facilities but because of the availability of everyone who works there. It is a very generous site for our needs,” Bielsa said during a press conference.

Uruguay’s World Cup campaign got off to a shaky start with a 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia, leaving them with little margin for error in Group H. Their next opponent is Cape Verde, who surprised the football world by holding Spain to a goalless draw.

Bielsa also criticized the use of hydration breaks during matches, arguing they disrupt the flow of the game. “Playing four periods instead of two changes what was culturally built to interpret football. This cultural change adds nothing and takes away a lot,” he said.

Uruguay cannot afford to drop more points if they want to avoid elimination before their final group-stage match against Spain in Guadalajara next week.