Uruguay players subjected to brutal punishment after 'complete failure' of a World Cup campaign

Uruguay players were punished by the country's football association after their World Cup campaign ended in disaster.

Marcelo Bielsa's side failed to win a single game in the tournament and were promptly sent home after the group stages, having drawn two games before losing their final fixture against Spain.

The meeting with the European champions was a chaotic affair and saw veteran goalkeeper Fernando Muslera hauled off at half-time after dropping Alex Baena's shot in his net.

To make matters worse, Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte was stretchered off with a suspected knee injury that could sideline him for an extended period.

Going into the game, there were strong reports of Uruguay players rebelling against Bielsa and methods - with claims that some star were unhappy with the intensity of training sessions and called for a drastic change in tactics.

It never happened and now, the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) have made it clear what they think about the team's performance.

READ MORE: Uruguay manager Marcelo Bielsa refuses to comply for photoshoot ahead of World Cup opener

It's being reported by El Pais and Tenfield that a scheduled chartered flight to capital city Montevideo was cancelled as a result of the early exit from the competition.

The entire squad and its staff were poised to head back on the same private plane but it was then decided that they would return from the Mexico base on commercial flights.

The change meant players would travel separately and on different flights, with a mixture of destinations and layovers.

How Marcelo Bielsa responded to Uruguay's early World Cup exit

After the loss to Spain, Bielsa cut an frustrated figure and snapped at a DAZN reporter at the start of an interview as he hurried the journalist to get it done quickly.

Following a series of short responses, the Argentine signed off with a grumpy, "You’re welcome" before going on his way.

One of the most revered coaches and a someone whose ideas inspired many, Bielsa took the Uruguay job in May 2023 and led the team to the Copa America semi-finals a year later.

But his third World Cup campaign, following spells with the national teams of Argentina and Chile, did not go to plan and he suffered his second group exit stage.

In his post-match press conference, the former Leeds United boss admitted his stint with Uruguay has been a "complete failure" as he gave an honest reflection.

“I'm leaving nothing behind for Uruguayan football," Bielsa stated.

"Any contribution a coach can make to a country where he's worked for three years is meaningless if he doesn't achieve results.

“Fourth place in the World Cup Qualifiers was worthless, third place in the Copa América was equally meaningless, and this performance doesn't need further explanation. My time here has been a complete failure.”

Ranked 16th in the world, Uruguay finished at the bottom of the third-placed table with two points - lower than Scotland, South Korea and Iran.

Bielsa's record since taking the job is 15 wins, 16 draws and eight losses. His contract is due to expire and it appears unlikely that he will stay on in the post.