Marcelo Bielsa has refused to explain his unusual behaviour during an official World Cup photoshoot after the Uruguay manager appeared to deliberately avoid the cameras.The former Leeds United boss found himself at the centre of attention before Uruguay's 1-1 draw with Saudi Arabia when footage showed him looking down at the ground rather than towards photographers during FIFA's official team picture.Bielsa, one of football's most eccentric and respected managers, has never been one to follow convention and made it clear he saw no reason to justify his actions.Asked after the match why he had chosen not to participate in the photographs in the usual manner, the 70-year-old delivered a characteristically blunt response.TRENDINGStoriesVideosYour Say"I don't have to give any explanation," Bielsa said. "The picture was taken the way it was taken."I'm not a model. I have no answer for that."The Argentine then suggested the attention surrounding the incident was unnecessary."Should I also explain why I don't look at those who are speaking now?" he added."There are no explanations for me to give."Marcelo Bielsa refused to do any acting during the official World Cup photoshoot.The Uruguayan coach has repeatedly denounced the tournament in the United States, criticizing its commercial and political excesses. pic.twitter.com/2ih09m0CXZ World Cup 2026 Daily (@TotalFootball) June 15, 2026 The exchange quickly became one of the talking points following Uruguay's opening World Cup fixture, with Bielsa continuing to defend his stance when the issue resurfaced later in his press conference."There is a limit to what we need to explain," he said."If I'm wearing glasses, why am I wearing glasses? You look somebody in the eye - why?"There is nothing wrong with wearing glasses, looking into somebody's eyes or looking down."We have no obligation to behave as models. Those things have no foundation.LATEST SPORTS NEWS:Iran national anthem booed in Los Angeles before thrilling World Cup draw with New ZealandITV GMB release statement after Scotland World Cup rowHarry Maguire makes England retirement announcement after painful World Cup snub"I did nothing wrong."Bielsa's reaction will come as little surprise to those familiar with his management career.Nicknamed "El Loco" - meaning "The Madman" - the veteran coach has built a reputation for his unconventional methods and uncompromising personality.Despite rarely collecting major trophies, Bielsa has become one of the most influential figures in modern coaching.His ideas have been credited with inspiring some of the game's biggest names, including Pep Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino.Guardiola has frequently spoken of his admiration for Bielsa and even travelled to Argentina to spend time with him before embarking on his own coaching career."To be loved is the biggest title, bigger than the Champions League or Premier League or whatever," Guardiola once said."Marcelo has that more than any other manager in the world."Bielsa's time in charge of Uruguay has not always been smooth, however.After generating excitement with impressive victories over both Brazil and Argentina during qualification, tensions emerged during the 2024 Copa America campaign.Former Uruguay striker Luis Suarez publicly criticised Bielsa's methods, while the manager later admitted the comments had affected his authority within the dressing room.Attention will now return to matters on the pitch after Uruguay were held to a disappointing draw by Saudi Arabia.Bielsa admitted his side had missed an opportunity after failing to collect all three points."An opponent we should have beaten," he said."We gave away too much in the first half, which shows we didn't do things right."We had to win this match."Uruguay will now look to get their World Cup campaign back on track when they face Cape Verde in their next group-stage fixture.Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter