The Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) has officially announced the appointment of a new head coach for the national team. The position has been taken by Diego Forlán — a legend of world football, the best player of the 2010 World Cup, and a two-time winner of the "Golden Boot". His main task is to return the Uruguay national team to the ranks of elite teams after a disappointing performance at the 2026 World Cup.
A change of course after the World Cup failure
The decision to change the coach became inevitable after the crushing defeat of the Uruguayans in the group stage of the last World Cup. The previous coach, the famous Argentine Marcelo Bielsa, left the post amidst scandal and loud accusations. Under his leadership, the "Celeste" managed only two points in Group N, losing to Spain and letting Cape Verde pass them. The team was eliminated from the tournament, failing to reach the playoffs.
According to information received by RBK-Ukraine from the Spanish publication Marca, Forlán has signed a contract until March 2027. The short term of the agreement is due to a specific development plan: the 47-year-old specialist is to lead the national team in autumn matches, and then in January 2027, shift his focus to the youth team (U-20) in preparation for the Copa América.
Why was Forlán chosen?
The President of the Uruguayan Football Association, Ignacio Alonso, confirmed that the choice fell on Forlán due to his enthusiasm and readiness for the project. "We met with him back in 2022 to attract him to the project. The AUF Executive Committee stopped its choice on Diego," Alonso stated.
Although this is Forlán's third experience of independent coaching work (previously he managed "Peñarol" in 2020 and "Atenas" in 2021), his authority within the country is beyond doubt. As a player, he played 112 matches for the national team and scored 36 goals; it was under his leadership that Uruguay reached the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup. At the club level, he conquered Europe, playing for "Manchester United", "Villarreal", "Atlético" Madrid, and Milan's "Inter".
The unique path of a legend
Forlán's return to the national team's coaching staff came as a surprise to many, given his recent activity in another sports discipline. After a pause in his coaching career in 2024, he successfully debuted in professional tennis, competing in ITF tournaments. However, right now, his unquestioned authority is seen by the leadership as the only way to stop the chaos within the team and return Uruguayan football to its former glory.