The Uruguay Football Association has announced the appointment of former star Diego Forlán as technical director of the national team, replacing Argentine Marcelo Bielsa.
Bielsa had resigned from his post after Uruguay were eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, at the group stage.
Forlán, aged 47 and one of his country's footballing legends, faces a major challenge in his coaching career: rebuilding a team that entered the tournament with high ambitions but exited it with one of the worst performances in its history.
Uruguay finished third in Group 8 of the World Cup with 2 points, in a group that included Spain, Cape Verde, and Saudi Arabia. The team failed to advance from the group stage, and the tournament proved a major disappointment for Bielsa, who resigned shortly after his side's elimination.
The Uruguayan Football Association stated in a release that Forlán's contract will run until March 2027, after which the association will evaluate his performance before deciding whether to extend his contract or appoint a new coach ahead of the next World Cup.
According to the association, Forlán will continue to coach the Uruguay under-20 national team, which will compete in the 2027 South American Youth Championship — a tournament that will be pivotal for developing a new generation of players.
Forlán is Uruguay's third-highest scorer in history with 36 goals. He also shone at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, finishing as the tournament's top scorer with 5 goals, and won the Copa América title in 2011.