Marcelo Bielsa

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Marcelo Bielsa (nicknamed El Loco Bielsa, "Crazy Bielsa") (born July 21, 1955) is a football coach and former defender, born in Rosario, province of Santa Fe, Argentina.

He played as a defender in Newell's Old Boys First Division Team, but soon retired, and developed his career as coach in that team. He led Newell's to several wins in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

He was offered to assume the Argentina national football team in 1998, after the four-year period by Daniel Passarella as manager. Argentina won the qualifiers to 2002 World Cup but did not go through the first round. Despite this, Bielsa asked for a second chance to lead Argentina to major success and stayed on his position. Albicelestes were runners-up in 2004 Copa América and won the 2004 Olympic Games' golden medal prize.

Surprisingly, Bielsa resigned at the end of 2004 and José Pekerman became Argentina's manager.

His brother Rafael is a politician (as of 2007, national deputy from the Capital District of Buenos Aires), while his sister María Eugenia is the current vicegovernor of the province of Santa Fe.

	Argentina squad - 2002 FIFA World Cup
1 Burgos | 2 Ayala | 3 Sorín | 4 Pochettino | 5 Almeyda | 6 Samuel | 7 C. López | 8 Zanetti | 9 Batistuta | 10 Ortega | 11 Verón | 12 Cavallero | 13 Placente | 14 Simeone | 15 Husaín | 16 Aimar | 17 G. López | 18 González | 19 Crespo | 20 Gallardo | 21 Caniggia | 22 Chamot | 23 Bonano | Coach: Bielsa