It’s Official: Diego Forlán will be the new coach of the Uruguay National Team

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 basis for 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.