Rossi played under the current Leeds head coach at Mexican top flight side Club America in the 1995/96 season.
The Italian followed in Bielsa’s footsteps and is currently managing the Hungary national side, having also managed clubs in Italy, Hungary and Slovakia in previous stints.
Rossi has revealed Bielsa has had a profound impact in him transitioning to a career in management as he changed his vision about football, making him think about coaching seriously during the time they linked up in Mexico.
The Hungary coach lauded Bielsa as being ahead of his time, highlighting his extreme attention to detail in the way he approaches coaching.
Asked whether Bielsa had any impact on him when he played under him at Club America, Rossi told Spanish daily El Pais: “Of course, my vision about football changed”
“I always wanted to be a coach, but after I met him, I took it seriously.
“Before I had [Mircea] Lucescu and Sven-Goran Eriksson, who took into account the smallest details.
“But Bielsa was a step above.
“I haven’t seen anything like it because he was ahead of his time.
“He worked differently, he paid minute attention to tactics, he divided the field with ropes…Incredible.”
Rossi’s Hungary are part of a tough group involving France, Portugal and Germany in the ongoing European Championship and they will be determined to hold their own in the competition, while his mentor Bielsa is gearing up for pre-season preparations at Elland Road.
