Midfielder Arturo Vidal reacted strongly this Tuesday against Chile’s national team coach, Ricardo Gareca, following their 1-2 home defeat to Bolivia in the eighth round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Vidal stated, "I would never have replaced Berizzo," referring to the previous coach whom Gareca replaced.

The former Barcelona and Juventus player, now with Chilean club Colo Colo, also criticized Gareca’s decision to substitute Ben Brereton in the first half of the match in Santiago.

"I would never have replaced Berizzo," Vidal remarked on the 'Kick' platform, referring to the change made by the Chilean Football Federation in January after Berizzo’s resignation.

"Just because he didn’t provide information to the journalists… they made sure he got fired! The press has cut short processes that were going well," Vidal added.

Eduardo Berizzo stepped down as Chile’s coach at the end of 2023 after six rounds of the qualifiers, where the team earned only five points out of 18, leaving them in eighth place and out of the World Cup qualifying positions.

"Gareca is on a very difficult path," Vidal commented, having not been called up by the Argentine coach for recent official matches, including the Copa América and the qualifiers.

"You can’t take Ben off. You’re going to kill Ben. I don’t understand the change. You need to take off Dávila or Osorio, who are struggling in midfield. Ben was doing well in one-on-ones, looking for opportunities on the wings," analyzed the 'King'.

The midfielder continued, "I don’t understand the decision-making. It’s respected because he’s the coach, but I don’t get what we’re playing at."

Gareca substituted Southampton striker Brereton in the 35th minute, bringing in Vicente Pizarro to bolster the midfield and adjust the team’s approach.

Brereton was not a starter in the 3-0 defeat to Argentina last Thursday but came on as a substitute in the second half, playing 11 minutes. He received applause from the crowd at the Estadio Nacional as he left the field against Bolivia.

What Gareca Said

In a post-match press conference, Gareca explained that he made the change because the team needed more strength in midfield, as they were "not synchronizing well in containment."

“I chose to make the change when I saw fit. I have the ability to do that at any moment in the match; it’s part of my job," Gareca said.

Gareca was questioned by the press on Monday about Vidal’s remarks.

"I won’t get into a dispute with colleagues or players, least of all with Vidal, who is a respected voice. We’ve always been respectful of opinions. As long as there’s no physical aggression, it’s normal for people to have their say. I’m prepared for criticism," Gareca concluded.

"It’s terrible"

Vidal continued to express his disappointment at the historic defeat, as Chile had never lost to Bolivia at home in official matches. "It’s terrible. I’m speechless. It hurts a lot. It makes no sense to lose like this when we have good players," he lamented.

Vidal, a key figure in Chile’s back-to-back Copa América victories in 2015 and 2016, had already voiced criticism of Gareca following the loss to Argentina.

Vidal complained about Gareca’s decision not to start his Colo Colo teammate, Carlos Palacios, who came on as a substitute, as well as midfielder Vicente Pizarro, who entered the match after Brereton’s substitution.

"This guy doesn’t watch the Libertadores! It seems like he only watches Argentine football," Vidal remarked, referencing Colo Colo’s upcoming Copa Libertadores quarterfinal clash against Argentina’s River Plate.