Diego Forlan Appointed Interim Coach of Uruguay National Team Until March 2027

Diego Forlan, the former legendary striker for Atletico Madrid and Villarreal, has been named interim head coach of the Uruguay senior national football team until March 2027. He replaces Marcelo Bielsa, who resigned following Uruguay's disappointing performance at the recent World Cup. The Uruguayan Football Association will decide after March whether to continue with Forlan or seek a new coach, as elections are scheduled later this year and the association is hesitant to commit to a long-term plan at this stage.

In addition to leading the senior team, Forlan will also continue coaching Uruguay's under-20 squad, a role he was appointed to prior to taking over the senior team. He will manage all Uruguay matches during the FIFA international windows in September, October, and November, which likely include qualifiers for the 2030 World Cup, as well as any friendlies scheduled up to March 2027. The under-20 team will compete in the South American Youth Championship in January 2027.

At 47 years old, Forlan has had two previous head coaching stints at the club level in Uruguay, managing 11 games with Peñarol in 2020 and 12 games with Atenas in the second division in 2021. He is a two-time European Golden Shoe winner and now embarks on this new chapter leading Uruguay's national teams.