Uruguay federation reportedly cancels charter flight after World Cup elimination

Uruguay's World Cup is over, with its players set to battle for overhead bin space rather than an international soccer trophy.

>The governing body of Uruguayan soccer, the AUF, has opted to cancel its charter flight set to take players from their base camp in Mexico back to Montevideo, according to reports in the El Pais newspaper and TV network Tenfield. The players will go back commercial, arriving on several different flights rather than as a squad.

>Uruguay was expected to head into Friday, June 26's showdown with Spain already qualified for the next round but drew with both Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde, meaning a result was necessary in Guadalajara.

>Spain opened the scoring on a goalkeeper error in the 42nd minute, and Uruguay was never able to find an answer, falling 1-0. That loss eliminated the South American country with a population of fewer than 3.5 million but a proud soccer tradition from the World Cup.

Who will be the next Uruguay manager?Uruguay manager Marcelo Bielsa was furious after the elimination, barking at the television broadcast to start his post-match interview.

>He was more circumspect in his post-match news conference.

>"I've left Uruguayan football nothing because any type of support a country's soccer manager can give in a country where he has worked three years doesn't take if you don't get results," Bielsa said after the match.

>"The fourth place in the World Cup qualifiers wasn't worth anything, third place in the Copa América wasn't worth anything and obviously I don't need to describe this showing. But if you ask me how my tenure will be remembered, as a tenure I've left nothing."

>The 70-year-old Argentine coach will not return to the national team, with Uruguay set to search for a new national team manager ahead of hosting a match in the 2030 World Cup. It will be the 100th anniversary of the tournament, first played in Montevideo in 1930.

>This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Uruguay federation reportedly cancels charter flight after World Cup elimination