Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa has said that the commercial side will make football less attractive in the coming years.
Uruguay will take on Brazil in a crucial Copa America quarterfinal match on Saturday night in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Under Bielsa, Uruguay played the best football of the tournament, winning every group stage match to top Group C.
But the former Leeds United manager is concerned that the type of football his side are playing is becoming rarer for one particular reason.
He fears that as football becomes more commercialized and money rules the sport, less attractive football will be used.
In an interesting press conference, Marcelo Bielsa explains why football will become “less fun” in the coming years.
The former Leeds manager couldn’t resist.
Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa said that the commercial side of football will make it less attractive in the coming years.
Uruguay will take on Brazil in a crucial Copa America quarter-final on Saturday night in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Under Bielsa, Uruguay played the best football of the tournament, winning every group stage match to top Group C.
But the former Leeds United manager is concerned that the type of football his side are playing is becoming rarer for one particular reason.
He fears that as football becomes more commercialized and money rules the sport, less attractive football will be used.
Marcelo Bielsa interacting with the fans at the River Plate match
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At the CONMEBOL press conference, Bielsa said: “Football has more and more spectators, but it is becoming less and less attractive.
“Today, why this game was the best game in the world at the time is not a priority.
“If you don’t make sure that what people are watching is something beautiful, it’s only going to benefit the company. Because the company only cares about how many people are watching it.”
Bielsa went on to explain his concerns, saying that as football becomes more accessible through online clips and highlights, it is losing its true identity.
He added: “Football is not just five minutes of highlights. Football is much more than that, it is a cultural expression, it is a way of identification.”
Uruguay have entered the Copa America 2024 with players such as Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez, Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde and Manchester United’s Facundo Pellestri.
In their last match, they defeated the hosts USA with a 1-0 victory to secure their place in the quarter-finals.
But this weekend’s game is their toughest challenge yet as they face fellow tournament favorites Brazil.
Brazil have struggled to a draw so far at the Copa America, drawing two of their group stage matches and finishing second behind Colombia.
However, with some former world-class players including Arsenal’s Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Gabriel Martinelli, it will be a tough task for Bielsa and his team to overcome the Brazilian national team.
Uruguay v Brazil kicks off at 02:00 BST on Sunday morning.