In 1998 Bielsa was given the managers job at Espanyol but he soon left after being offered the Argentina job later that year, taking over after a four-year period by Daniel Passarella as manager.
Argentina won the qualifiers to the 2002 World Cup but did not go through beyond the first round. Despite this, Bielsa was given a second chance to lead Argentina to major success and stayed on his position.
Bielsa was the man in charge of Argentina's ill-fated bid for success at the World Cup Korea/Japan 2002. While memories of La Albiceleste's shock first-round exit in the Orient linger, Bielsa has given himself a shot at redemption by engineering Chile's unlikely revival.
Nicknamed El Loco (The Madman) for his unique dedication to the game, the strategist enjoyed only a brief playing career but commands the respect of players and fellow coaches alike.
The hard-working and principled Bielsa is a devoted student of tactics and an advocate of enterprising football, characteristics that have earned him huge popularity in his adopted homeland, where the fans are anxious for him to remain in the post for many years to come.
