Over the past couple of years, Leeds United fans have developed a habit of keeping up to date with the state of the South American World Cup qualifying campaign during international breaks.
With Daniel Farke’s side spending the current hiatus third in the Championship table, they are well-placed to turn the screw on their promotion prospects when they return to action at Swansea City on Sunday.
Before then, there are plenty of Elland Road narratives to watch out for ahead of the final South American World Cup qualifiers of 2024.
Marcelo Bielsa took the Uruguay job almost 18 months ago in his first post-Leeds United appointment, making an instant impact with the two-time World Cup winners.
Marcelo Bielsa sets new South American record
Uruguay are the third South American nation that Bielsa has managed, following his six-year spell in charge of his native Argentina between 1998 and 2004 and a 2007-2011 stint with Chile.
Saturday night saw Uruguay claim a dramatic late 3-2 win over Colombia, which has seen La Celeste move up to second in the World Cup qualification standings with 11 of their 18 rounds completed, behind only World Cup holders Argentina.
Manuel Ugarte’s late winner not only sealed three crucial points for Uruguay but also saw Bielsa claim a new record, as he now has more World Cup qualifying wins than any other manager.
The victory was Bielsa’s 32nd in the competition as he overtook Oscar Tabarez at the top of the list. But while Tabarez needed 74 matches to claim his 31 wins, Bielsa’s latest victory came after just 55 matches.
- READ MORE: How Leeds United compare now to the season Marcelo Bielsa guided Leeds back to the Premier League
New record the perfect warm-up for Raphinha reunion
Bielsa’s single-mindedness means he is unlikely to dwell on the record for long – if at all – as he will now be looking for win number 33 when he takes his side to Bahia to take on Brazil in the early hours of Wednesday morning, UK-time.
Brazil sit fourth in the qualification table after an inconsistent campaign so far, but for Leeds fans it will be another opportunity to see Bielsa reunited with former Leeds forward Raphinha, who has begun the season in devastating form and netted a superb free-kick for Brazil in last week’s 1-1 draw with Venezuela.
The pair previously met in the summer when Uruguay knocked Brazil out of the Copa America and shared a hug which delighted Leeds fans.
Raphinha on his debt to Bielsa
Raphinha arrived at Elland Road in 2020 during Bielsa’s time in charge and would score 17 goals and tee up 12 assists in his 67 games with the club before his 2022 move to Barcelona.
| Games played | Goals | Assists | Mins played | Mins per goal contribution |
| 17 | 12 | 10 | 1,396 | 63 |
Speaking in 2022, he was quick to credit Bielsa with igniting his career, telling Mundo Deportivo: “He helped me a lot from the first moment I arrived at Leeds. Always demands more, the best.
“He helped me get into the national team and Barca.
“If it wasn’t for his guidance I probably wouldn’t be here. He was an important person for me and for my career.’
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