Former Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa will remain a cult hero at Elland Road for ending the club’s long wait to return to the Premier League. The club sacked him at the end of his time at Elland Road, but the fans’ view of the Argentinian remains unchanged.
There is already excitement among Leeds fans about watching Bielsa again in England, with him expected to bring his Uruguay team to the shores to play England in an international friendly at Wembley in March.
Bielsa is an endearing figure for Leeds fans for his simple charm and the kind of football his team played when Leeds earned promotion to the Premier League and then finished in the top half in their first season back.
Former Leeds boss Steve Evans recently revealed that he received a text message from Bielsa following his weight loss journey, but it seems the bond between the two stretched a few years back.
Marcelo Bielsa allowed me back in at Leeds – Steve Evans
Evans boasts a stellar reputation in the EFL, with nine promotions to his name. However, his lone season at Leeds yielded only mid-table mediocrity, as a modest Whites side never truly mounted a promotion challenge.
His bond with Bielsa was a shock for Leeds fans, but the former Whites boss revealed that their bond started when the Argentinian was at Elland Road.
He admitted that Bielsa and then sporting director Victor Orta allowed him back at Leeds to watch the Argentinian work with the players, and since then, they have had a good relationship.
“I spent some time with Marcelo when he was the Leeds coach”, Evans told ITV.
“I think he was the evolution at Leeds United, in terms of managers and the coaches who were there for a while.
“They played fantastic, flowing football, they attacked, worked hard, and I wanted to go and see them.
“I travelled up from the clubs I was in, and via Marcelo and Victor Orta, I was allowed in.
“Now, I know Marcelo.”
“Apparently he’s seen a video of me, six and half stone down, and he thought it was my brother.” Former #rufc & #lufc manager Steve Evans says he’s received a message from Marcelo Bielsa on his incredible weight loss. More on @itvcalendar tonight at 6pm pic.twitter.com/AtYrEsYGm8
— Chris Dawkes (@chrisdawkesITV) October 8, 2025
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