Diego Forlán is the interim head coach of the Uruguay national team. The former striker will hold the role on a temporary basis until March 2027, as he confirmed, leading the side through a renewal phase following the departure of Marcelo Bielsa.

Forlán, who also manages the Uruguay U-20 team, took over after Uruguay's group-stage exit at the 2026 World Cup, where they finished third in Group H behind Spain and Cape Verde. His first major test will be the Río de la Plata classic against Argentina, scheduled for November 13 at La Bombonera during the FIFA window. The Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) is arranging a second friendly in Montevideo for the same date, though it remains unconfirmed.

The renewal process

The coach already led the senior team on a recent Asian tour, where they recorded two wins and one loss. La Celeste beat South Korea (4-1) and India (6-1), after losing to Japan (3-1). The most recent victory, a 6-1 win over India on October 6, served as a debut for several players looking to earn their place, such as goalkeeper Thiago Cardozo of Belgrano.

In those matches, Darwin Núñez demonstrated his attacking threat, scoring three goals across the two games, including a penalty against India. Mathías Araujo also shone with a brace in that same match, while Giorgian de Arrascaeta contributed goals and assists. The squad for that tour included established figures like Ronald Araujo and Rodrigo Bentancur, alongside promising talents like Santiago Mouriño, Juan Rodríguez, Facundo Bernal and Martín Satriano.

The future of the legends

At a press conference, Forlán was asked about the future of veterans like Fernando Muslera and Luis Suárez with the national team. He compared the situation to that of the goalkeeper, pointing to the 2028 Copa América as the next official target. "Fue parecido a lo de Nando, teniendo en cuenta que la próxima competencia oficial es la Copa América 2028, en su caso…", the coach explained.

Regarding Suárez, Forlán was clear in outlining the difficulties for an immediate return. "En Inter Miami tenía un entrenador nuevo, el Kily González, y viendo lo que se viene, la competencia oficial es bastante más lejana y era difícil para él hoy en día decir de empezar un proceso nuevo de cara a una competencia oficial que parece estar muy lejana y difícil que lo pueda lograr," he stated. This effectively closes the door for the historic goalscorer in the short term.

The team, currently 20th in the FIFA ranking, has already secured its place at the 2030 World Cup as a co-host, providing a wide margin for this transition process. The current run of two consecutive wins provides a positive working atmosphere. Forlán's objective is to lay the foundations for a new Uruguay, which will face its great rival in less than a month.

First reported at TyC Sports