'El Loco' Bielsa is back to his beloved antics.
According to reports, Uruguay national team manager Marcelo Bielsa will make the bold decision to call up an amateur player for the squad’s upcoming match in May.
Marcelo Bielsa to call up amateur player Walter Domínguez to Uruguay national team
Walter Domínguez, a forward for amateur side Juventud de Soriano, will be called up to play for Uruguay in their friendly match against Costa Rica. The squad will be made up of players from Uruguay’s local league.
¿OTRA LOCURA DE BIELSA?
La selección local de Uruguay enfrentará a Costa Rica en un amistoso, y el DT convocará a un futbolista amateur: Walter Domínguez.⚽ El delantero de Juventud Soriano lleva 57 goles en 39 partidos entre clubes y la selección departamental pic.twitter.com/jI7BgJgRRA
— TNT Sports Argentina (@TNTSportsAR) May 5, 2024
24-year-old Domínguez would have garnered Bielsa’s attention after bagging a whopping 57 goals in his last 39 games in the Copa OFI (Organization of Interior Soccer) for Juventud. Domínguez also scored in the final of the previous tournament with amateur club Mercedes, with the forward quickly getting the attention of clubs in the country’s top-flight.
Así relaté el gol de Walter Domínguez, héroe de su pueblo, para adelantar a Mercedes en la serie final del interior. Una actuación descollarte en las instancias definitivas, regó de campito las canchas del país desde su pasión por Juventud, su club de barrio. pic.twitter.com/qsstODMD38
— Santiago Castro (@santicahe) May 4, 2024
Domínguez confirmed the rumor of his call-up to Uruguay, saying he did not expect to be considered for the national team level.
“Yes, [the Uruguay national team] has called me. I'm very happy, to be honest. I did not expect it, it came as a surprise” said Dominguez after his latest match with Juventud.
Walter Dominguez jugó hoy por Copa OFI y confirmó la convocatoria para @Uruguay
Su equipo cayó derrotado 2 a 1. pic.twitter.com/CCNLvYqWy4— Alex Martin Rostan (@MartinRostan9) May 4, 2024
This call-up will become one of the few instances in the modern era of the Uruguay national team where a non-professional is included in a squad list, with the rumor of more non-professionals other than Domínguez making the upcoming squad.
Uruguay will face off against Costa Rica on May 31.