The future of the Uruguayan National Team seems to be heading towards a change of cycle and Diego Forlán did not hide his interest in becoming the next coach of La Celeste. In light of Marcelo Bielsa's imminent departure, the all-time top scorer for Uruguay stated that he would accept the challenge if the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) decides to offer him the position.
When asked about this possibility during a talk on the Casa del Kun program on ESPN, the 47-year-old former striker responded straightforwardly: "Of course, I would go, do you know how I would go?". Then, when asked about the profile of the next coach, he added: "I prefer a Uruguayan coach, because we have them, although I didn't mind Bielsa's selection. Given how we are, it's not the time to throw out names".
The statements come in a context of strong uncertainty. Following Uruguay's elimination in the group stage of the 2026 World Cup, the continuity of "Loco" is practically sentenced and the AUF announced that the coach will hold a press conference this Tuesday, June 30 at the Centenario Stadium, where he is expected to officially announce his departure.
The Celeste's campaign in the World Cup was well below expectations. The team drew 1-1 with Saudi Arabia and 2-2 with Cape Verde in the first two matches and closed its participation with a 1-0 defeat against Spain, results that led to early elimination and deepened criticism of the Argentine coach's cycle, which was also marked by internal conflicts with part of the squad.
In this regard, Forlán also analyzed the reasons for the team's poor performance in the tournament: "There were already internal problems, we weren't arriving in the best way. Many injured players arrived and others with little activity".
"Cachavacha" already has a brief track record as a coach. In 2020, he managed Peñarol for 11 matches, in a cycle that was affected by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. A year later, he had a second experience in charge of Atenas de San Carlos, where he stayed for 12 matches.
While the AUF begins to define who will be Bielsa's successor, Forlán's name appears for the first time as a candidate willing to take on the challenge of leading a national team that will seek to start a reconstruction phase after the harsh blow suffered in the World Cup.
