Uruguay‘s 2026 World Cup campaign stands as one of the tournament’s biggest disappointments, ending in a shocking group-stage exit. With Marcelo Bielsa stepping down from the head coaching role, Diego Forlan is now set to take over and lead La Celeste into the next cycle.
Tipped to challenge Spain for top spot in Group H, Uruguay’s campaign collapsed under the weight of a defeat to La Roja and back-to-back draws against Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde, with the latter one advancing as the second-placed team in the group. Following one of the most stunning early exits in recent Uruguayan football history, Bielsa announced his resignation at a lengthy press conference, leaving the position open.
Uruguay Football Federation president Ignacio Alonso confirmed the development in an interview with Teledoce: “If an agreement is reached with Diego Forlan in the coming hours, he will be the coach of the Under-20 national team and for the upcoming friendly matches. He is enthusiastic, although there are still a few details left to finalize.“
The original plan had been for Forlan to take charge of the Uruguay Under-20 side ahead of the South American Championship in January 2027. With AUF elections scheduled for later this year, however, committing to a long-term senior project was not a viable option for either party.
Jose Maria Gimenez of Uruguay shows dejection after the 0-1 defeat and elimination against Spain.
Given those circumstances, Forlan will serve as interim head coach of the senior national team until March 2027. Whether the arrangement is extended beyond that point will depend entirely on the AUF and whoever holds the federation presidency following the elections.
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Within that window, Forlan, Uruguay’s third all-time leading scorer with 36 goals and an icon of the country’s memorable 2010 World Cup run, will oversee the September, October, and November international windows, which include 2030 World Cup qualifying fixtures, as well as March 2027 friendlies. In total, the former Manchester United and Villarreal forward will be in charge for eight matches.
Forlan on Uruguay’s World Cup
Heading into the World Cup, the expectation was that Spain and Uruguay would battle it out for top spot in Group H, with second place likely leading to a Round of 32 clash against Argentina. Instead, just two points from three games sent La Celeste home without even qualifying as one of the best third-placed nations.
Forlan has had two previous spells in senior management, taking charge of 11 matches at Peñarol in 2020 and 12 at Atenas de San Carlos in the Uruguayan Second Division in 2021. But when asked about replacing Bielsa during an appearance on La Casa del Kun, the ESPN show hosted by Sergio Agüero, the former forward did not hesitate: “Sure, of course I’d go. Do you have any idea how fast I’d accept?“
Beyond his eagerness to take the job, Forlan was candid about the state of the national team, suggesting the problems ran deeper than the tournament itself: “I prefer a Uruguayan coach, because we have them, although I didn’t dislike the choice of Bielsa. Given where we stand right now, it’s not the time to be tossing around names. Unfortunately, we were already coming in with internal problems; we didn’t arrive in the best shape.”
