Spotted: Footage emerges of Marcelo Bielsa beelining for Leeds United shirt in Argentina

Footage has emerged of Marcelo Bielsa making a beeline straight for a Leeds United shirt while greeting fans at the arrival of the Uruguay squad.

The former Leeds boss initially looked as if he would continue straight past the fans awaiting his arrival before noticing a Leeds shirt held by one fan, at which point he went straight over to greet them.

Bielsa, who now manages the Uruguay international selection, showed he still holds a strong affiliation with the Yorkshire club despite his dismissal in 2022.

The footage was shared on Twitter by ESPN Sports Centre [16 November] who highlighted the Newell's Old Boys and Leeds United shirts held by the awaiting fans.

The connection will not fade

The love between Bielsa and the Leeds United fans shows no signs of fading despite the two having parted ways almost two years ago as a result of a poor run of form leading to Leeds' fearing for their Premier League survival.

Many fans at the time expressed their disapproval of the decision to let him go, and the bond he shared with the fans at Elland Road still remains strong to this day.

For all of his eccentricities and quirks that appealed to the Leeds fanbase, Bielsa also delivered on his promises when he took over at Leeds and guided them out of the Championship and back into the Premier League after 16 years out of the top flight.

The reverence in which Bielsa is held by his former fanbases, including Newell's Old Boys in Argentina who have named their stadium after him, speaks volumes about the man and the respect that goes both ways from the fans and from the boss.

In other Leeds United news, one ex-Leeds player shared how Bielsa binned him without explanation.