Diego Forlán has been named the interim head coach of the Uruguay national football team, as well as the permanent head coach of the Under-20 team.
The Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) shared a video on their social media platforms on Thursday, announcing the collaboration with the iconic former striker. The video included highlight reels from Forlán’s national career, paired with the phrase, “Do you know how fast I’d go?” in response to inquiries about his willingness to coach La Celeste.
Marcelo Bielsa resigned as Uruguay’s manager following a lackluster performance at the 2026 World Cup, which was characterized by friction with players. Uruguay experienced a draw against Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia, before ultimately falling to Spain, resulting in an early exit from the group stage. Bielsa left upon the end of his contract.
Forlán will lead the senior team until at least March 2027, coinciding with AUF’s presidential elections. During this interim period, he will manage Uruguay through six FIFA international friendly matches while the federation searches for a permanent coach.
In addition, Forlán will oversee the U20 team as they prepare for the 2027 South American Championship next summer, aiming to qualify for the U20 World Cup in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan.
This marks Forlán’s third managerial role at the professional level, following previous tenures with Uruguayan clubs Peñarol in 2020 and Atenas de San Carlos in 2021.
At 47 years old, Forlán boasts 36 goals in 112 appearances for Uruguay and was awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player at the 2010 World Cup, where he led La Celeste to the semifinals.
He began his professional career with his childhood club, Peñarol, before continuing his journey abroad with Independiente, Manchester United, Villarreal, and Atlético Madrid.