Diego Forlán Set to Succeed Bielsa as Uruguay Coach

The president of the Uruguayan Football Association, Ignacio Alonso, announced that legend Diego Forlán is the frontrunner to succeed Marcelo Bielsa, indicating that an agreement could be reached in the coming hours.

Alonso clarified that Forlán would take charge of the Uruguay U20 team, alongside leading the senior national team in upcoming friendly matches if a final agreement is reached, adding: "If an agreement with Diego Forlán is made in the next few hours, he will be the coach of the youth team and the upcoming friendlies. He is excited, but there are still some points to settle."

According to the proposed plan, Forlán will lead the Uruguay national team during the international breaks in September, October, and November, as well as all friendly matches until March 2027, before the federation decides whether to keep him or appoint a new coach, based on the results of the upcoming internal elections at the end of the year.

Forlán (47) is regarded as one of Uruguay's greatest players in history, having played 112 international matches and scored 36 goals before retiring in 2019. In terms of coaching, he previously managed Peñarol in 2020 and Atenas in the Uruguayan second division in 2021, in two brief stints.