Forlan agrees to become interim Uruguay head coach

What the report says

Former Manchester United and Uruguay striker Diego Forlan has agreed to take charge of Uruguay on an interim basis, BBC Sport Football reports. The former forward is set to lead the national side after Marcelo Bielsa stepped down following Uruguay’s exit in the group stage of the World Cup.

According to the report, Forlan, 47, will oversee the team’s autumn friendlies while the Uruguayan football federation looks for a permanent coach. BBC Sport says that appointment is expected later this year or at the start of 2027. Forlan has also been put in charge of Uruguay’s Under-20 team alongside the senior squad.

Bielsa had been in the role since May 2023. BBC Sport notes that Uruguay won 15 of his 39 matches, but the team’s early World Cup exit prompted his departure. Forlan’s appointment brings a familiar national figure back into the dugout: he scored 36 goals in 112 appearances for Uruguay and won the Golden Ball at the 2010 World Cup, when the country reached the semi-finals.

Cautious background: Forlan’s coaching record has been limited so far, with short spells at Uruguayan clubs Penarol and Atenas. The move gives him an immediate senior international test as Uruguay begins its transition after Bielsa.