World Cup 2026: Uruguay places its faith in Diego Forlán for the rebuilding journey

According to a Vietnam News Agency correspondent in South America, the AUF announcement on July 12 stated that Forlán will lead the Uruguayan national team until March 2027, overseeing international friendlies and the early rounds of the 2030 World Cup qualifiers in South America. The 47-year-old former striker will also serve as the head coach of the U20 team to prepare for the 2027 South American U20 Championship.

AUF President Ignacio Alonso said the federation has considered working with Forlán for several years and highly values his vision for football development and his deep understanding of the youth training system. His coaching staff will include fitness experts Diego Estavillo and Santiago Ferro, while the assistant coaches will be finalized in the coming period.

This is the first time the former star Forlán has taken on the role of national team head coach. Previously, the 2010 World Cup Golden Ball winner managed clubs Peñarol and Atenas de San Carlos, but did not leave a significant mark on the bench.

Before making this decision, the AUF also considered appointing Marcelo Broli, the coach who led Uruguay to win the 2023 FIFA U20 World Cup. However, Broli's plan for team development until 2030 was reportedly not aligned with the federation's current roadmap. The AUF said it continues to monitor several candidates for the permanent head coach position, including Guillermo Almada, Paulo Pezzolano, Alexander Medina, and Marcelo Broli.

The appointment of strategist D. Forlán came after the AUF terminated its contract with coach Marcelo Bielsa, who failed to lead Uruguay past the group stage of the 2026 World Cup. In a context where South America had seven representatives in the tournament but only Argentina reached the semifinals, Uruguay's performance was deemed below expectations.

As one of the most traditional footballing nations in the world, with two World Cup titles (1930, 1950), 15 Copa America victories, and two Olympic gold medals (1924, 1928), Uruguay considers its elimination in the group stage an unacceptable result. Therefore, giving the opportunity to coach Diego Forlán is seen as the first step in the team's rebuilding process, aiming to restore its position in the 2030 World Cup qualifiers and future major tournaments.