Diego Forlan appointed Uruguay head coach after Bielsa exit

Published Aug 6, 02:53 PM UTC

Diego Forlan, the legendary former Uruguay striker, has been named head coach of the Uruguay men's national football team, replacing Marcelo Bielsa. Bielsa resigned after Uruguay's disappointing group-stage exit at the 2026 World Cup, where they earned only two points from draws with Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde and a loss to Spain. Forlan, 47, will also coach the Under-20s. The Uruguayan FA called it 'the start of a new era' with one of the nation's greatest idols. Forlan has minimal senior coaching experience, having managed Penarol and CA Atenas in Uruguay with mixed results. He retired from football in 2019 and made his professional tennis debut in 2024. The article includes analysis noting the drastic shift from Bielsa's legendary managerial career to Forlan's entry-level coaching background.