The Argentine’s reputation has always preceded him, and his nickname ‘El Loco’ – or ‘The Crazy One’ – is well-earned.
Renowned for his meticulous preparatory work and his punishing training methods, Bielsa was regarded as one of a kind even before he took the top job at Elland Road.
But even factoring in all of his previous quirks and idiosyncrasies, few fans could have foreseen the transformative, and oftentimes bizarre, tenure that he has gone on to have in Yorkshire.
From nine-goal thrillers, to espionage scandals, to buckets with cult-like status, Bielsa’s time with the Whites has had just about everything.
The 65-year-old took charge of his 100th game at the club on Saturday against Crystal Palace, and we’ve looked back over his first century to countdown 13 of the most weird, and wonderful, details:
7. The Volkswagen Polo
Bielsa is renowned for his generosity, and seems to have really prioritised inclusivity since arriving at Leeds. That extends beyond his playing and coaching staff too though, and the boss is said to run a raffle for behind-the-scenes workers at the training ground, providing the prizes himself. Perhaps his most notable giveaway has been the Volkswagen Polo worth £11,000 that went to a kit man. (Photo by Charlotte Tattersall/Getty Images) Photo: Charlotte Tattersall
8. The Promotion Celebrations
Bielsa is known for a being a reserved character who rarely gives the game away, but it was a delight to see that mask slip a little when his side secured promotion back to the top flight. Speaking on Mundial's Giant podcast, Luke Ayling summed it up nicely: "For two years he’s kept us at arm’s length, not really shown that side of him and then he’s walking across the pitch and we’re singing ‘Marcelo Bielsa’ and he’s down there pumping his fists. You could see how happy he was, he’s hugged us and gone round to everyone and honestly it was the best feeling, him cuddling you, talking in your ear saying thank you, thank you we did it." (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) Photo: Michael Regan
9. The Patrick Bamford Hug
Few players have had as much faith put in them by Bielsa as Patrick Bamford. The striker has been the Argentine's main man since day one, and we caught an early glimpse of the boss' admiration for the 27-year-old when he struck a training ground screamer just a few months into El Loco's time at Elland Road. Bielsa, usually so reserved, couldn't contain his excitement and went running across the pitch to give his hitman a warm embrace. It was a genuinely sweet moment, and one that reminded us all that Bielsa is, first and foremost, a football fan at heart. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images) Photo: Laurence Griffiths
10. The Costa Coffee Meetings
Humility is a common theme that runs throughout Bielsa's tenure, and nothing exemplifies his humble nature more than his proclivity for hosting lengthy, extensive meetings with his coaching staff in a local branch of Costa Coffee in Wetherby, where he rents a small one-bedroom flat. It's understood that El Loco is a regular customer and has an open tab in the cafe that he pays on a monthly basis. (Photo by Peter Powell - Pool/Getty Images) Photo: Pool
11. The Birmingham Thriller
There have been so many thrilling moments on the pitch during Bielsa's tenure as manager that they can sometimes all blur into one, but the 5-4 win over Birmingham City in December 2019 surely stands out as the most dramatic win of the lot. Four goals in the last 10 minutes, including a 95th minute own goal, saw the game swing back and firth between agony and jubilation for the Whites, but in the end, Bielsa's men had just enough to secure the points. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images) Photo: Naomi Baker
12. The Aston Villa Equaliser
In a truly remarkable sequence of play towards the end of his first season in charge, Bielsa ordered his players to allow Aston Villa to score an equalising goal against them after Mateusz Klich had given the Whites the lead in dubious circumstances. It was a bizarre spectacle that English had rarely, if ever, seen before, and has certainly not since, but it did manage to bag Leeds FIFA Fair Play Award. The whole thing was made even weirder by Pontus Jansson's lone effort to prevent Villa from scoring. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) Photo: Catherine Ivill