The Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) confirmed this Thursday Diego Forlán as the new coach of the Uruguay National Team. The historic former striker will take over on an interim basisfor the upcoming friendlies and, at the same time, will coach the U-20 team in its preparation for the youth competitions of 2027.
The announcement came days after the AUF hinted at his arrival with an enigmatic message on social media and was accompanied by a video recalling a phrase from Forlán himself during the 2026 World Cup. When asked about a possible call to coach La Celeste, the former footballer had replied without hesitation: "Do you know how I'm going?".
The appointment came after the departure of Marcelo Bielsa, whose tenure ended following Uruguay's elimination in the group stage of the last World Cup. "He will have the challenge of leading the U-20 team and eight matches of the senior team between September and March", explained AUF president Ignacio Alonso, who also highlighted that the former striker "is a trademark of the national team".
Forlán arrives backed by an unforgettable career as a footballer. He played 112 matches with the sky blue jersey, scored 36 goals, and is the third highest scorer in the history of the national team, only behind Luis Suárez and Edinson Cavani. His greatest achievement came in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where he was awarded the Golden Ball of the tournament after leading Uruguay to the semifinals. A year later, he also lifted the Copa América held in Argentina.
As a coach, however, his experience is brief. He debuted in 2020 at the helm of Peñarol, where he managed 11 matches with a record of 4 wins, 3 draws, and 4 losses. In 2021, he continued his career at Atenas de San Carlos, in the Uruguayan Second Division, where he recorded 4 victories, 5 draws, and 3 defeats in 12 matches.
In addition to taking over the senior team, Forlán has also started working with the U-20. In fact, the AUF recently released his first call-up to begin training for the youth team, which will have as its main objective the U-20 World Cup of 2027.
Forlan will be the coach of both the Senior National Team and the U-20 Team
With this new challenge, one of the greatest idols of Uruguayan football begins a new stage with La Celeste, now from the bench and with the responsibility of leading the reconstruction of the national team after the World Cup disappointment.
