Last Updated:
Gareca quits Chile’s head coach role after a 2-0 loss to Bolivia ended their 2026 World Cup hopes. Chile, registered just one win in 13 matches.
Ricardo Gareca resigns as Chile coach following their failed bid at WC 2026. (AFP Photo)
Ricardo Gareca stepped down as Chile’s head coach following the team’s 2-0 defeat to Bolivia on Tuesday, a loss that shattered their dreams of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Goals from Miguel Terceros and Enzo Monteiro in El Alto handed Chile its 10th defeat in the South American qualifying tournament. Now, the team sits at the bottom of the 10-nation standings and is mathematically out of contention for a playoff spot.
“We made a decision with the coaching staff and we told them [the players] that we want to decompress the situation,” Gareca said during a post-match news conference at the Municipal Stadium in El Alto.
“We didn’t deliver results. Chile is in a situation that no one would have wanted, and from a sporting perspective, with all the experience and career I have, it’s a hard knock. I have to get back on my feet, just as Chile must get back on its feet in the future.”
Gareca managed to lead Chile to just one victory in 13 matches, having taken charge of the Roja in January 2024.
After winning consecutive Copa America titles in 2015 and 2016, Chile will now miss the World Cup for the third time in a row, having also failed to qualify in 2018 and 2022.
Tuesday’s result left Bolivia with 17 points and still in the running with two qualifiers remaining. Oscar Villegas’ team will face Colombia and Brazil in September as they seek their first World Cup appearance since 1994.
Chile must now focus on their final qualifying matches, scheduled for September. In that double-header, the national team will face Brazil away and then Uruguay to conclude their 2026 qualifying campaign.
(with IANS inputs)
- Location :
El Alto, Bolivia
- First Published:
