Leeds United fans are urging the FA to give Marcelo Bielsa the chance to return to Elland Road as England ramp up their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Marcelo Bielsa did not have to wait long to return to management after Leeds United, as he was offered the chance to manage South American side Uruguay.
The former Elland Road favourite has enjoyed a strong start to life with Uruguay, leading them to qualification for the next World Cup in the United States of America, securing wins over Brazil and Argentina in the process.
England are also on the verge of World Cup qualification and could book their place at the tournament in the current international break, after their friendly against Wales.
Now, it appears that Bielsa could be on the verge of a return to England, as they look to finalise their friendly schedule, prompting Leeds fans to make their case for a reunion with Bielsa.
Leeds United fans make Marcelo Bielsa demand
A report in the Guardian suggests that England could face Uruguay in a friendly ahead of the World Cup, raising the prospect of Bielsa managing in England for the first time since leaving Leeds.
This report prompted Leeds fans to take to the social media site X (formerly Twitter) to demand that the fixture be played at Elland Road, so that the club can pay tribute to their former manager.
One fan summed up the overriding sentiment of the Leeds fanbase, as they wrote: “England v Uruguay & Japan at Elland Road would be great, Ian. I think Bielsa & Tanaka would get very warm welcomes. Can you fix it for us?”
This sentiment was echoed by another Leeds fan who argued that it would give fans the chance to give the popular Argentinian a proper send-off, posting: “Fantastic, a proper send off for Marcelo.”
Another fan argued that moving the fixture to Elland Road would improve the atmosphere for the game, stating: “Can’t see the FA putting it into a 38,000 capacity stadium. It would definitely be a better atmosphere than Wembley.”
One fan wanted to ensure they secure a seat with their fellow Bielsa fans, writing: “Anyone know where the Bielsa supporters club will be seated?”
While another shared their concern that the crowd would be more vocal in their support for Uruguay, arguing: “They’d be worried the whole stadium would want Uruguay to win.”
How many England Men’s games has Elland Road hosted?
Whilst Leeds fans are understandably excited about the prospect of Bielsa returning to England, it should be stated that, as yet, there is no suggestion that the game will be played in Leeds.
However, if the FA did decide to move the game to Elland Road, it would be the fourth time that the ground has hosted a men’s international fixture.
England men’s fixtures at Elland Road:
- 08/06/1995 – England 3-3 Sweden
- 27/03/2002 – England 1-2 Italy
- 07/06/2018 – England 2-0 Costa Rica
The most recent England fixture held in Leeds was a 2-0 win over Costa Rica in the build-up to the 2018 World Cup.
Nigel Martyn and Danny Mills were both in the England starting line-up as the Three Lions lost 2-1 against Italy in 2002. Before that, England were held 3-3 by Sweden in 1995, as Elland Road prepared to be one of the host venues for Euro 96.
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