Montevideo, May 16 (IANS): Marcelo Bielsa has been appointed head coach of Uruguay's national team on a deal that runs until the 2026 World Cup, the South American nation's football association said on Tuesday.

The 67-year-old replaces Diego Alonso, whose contract was terminated after Uruguay's failure to progress beyond the group stage of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

"The Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) has named Marcelo Bielsa as the new coach of the national team on the road toward the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada, the United States and Mexico," read an AUF statement.

This will be Bielsa's first coaching job since he parted ways with Leeds United in February last year, a Xinhua report said.

He has also had spells in charge of the Argentina and Chile national teams over a coaching career that has spanned more than four decades.

Bielsa had reportedly attracted the interest of Premier League clubs Bournemouth and Everton as well as clubs in Brazil and Argentina before accepting the Uruguay position.