MLS deserter admits the North American league "makes players lazy", in the words of Marcelo Bielso

The Major League Soccer is growing in the US, with more international stars and media coverage, and Messi as ambassador, meaning football is getting more popular than ever in United States (hosts of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and co-hosts of the 2026 World Cup).

However, it also has many detractors. One of the personalities to more openly criticise the MLS is Marcelo Bielsa, Argentinian player, current coach of the Uruguayan national team. Cristian Olivera, Uruguayan defender who recently signed for the Brazilian club Grêmio Porto Alegrense, said that Bielsa had warned him that the MLS "makes players lazy" and he advised him to leave.

The 22-year-old player played for Los Angeles FC for two seasons (from 2023 to 2025), where he won the MLS Cup. Despite his contract ending in 2026, he decided to leave to the Brasileirão, a much more competitive championship. In an interview for Punto Penal, he admitted that Bielsa recommended him to leave.

"Bielsa, at the time, when I was in the U23, told me that I should leave Los Angeles because it wasn't a suitable league for me. Speaking badly, she told me that it makes players lazy. I felt that way too, I lacked rhythm", as read in Minuto Uno.

Olivera said that football in the US is played every week, with shorter trainings. "It's very difficult to learn things in American soccer because you play every week -instead of every three days-. The training sessions are short, and here they are much longer. A team, to have a good chance of winning a tournament, has to work hard. That didn't happen in the United States."