Diego Forlán facts for kids

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Diego Forlán

Forlán lining up for Uruguay in 2014
Personal information
Date of birth	(1979-05-19) 19 May 1979 (age 46)
Place of birth	Montevideo, Uruguay
Height	1.80 m
Playing position	Striker
Youth career
1990–1991	Peñarol
1991–1994	Danubio
1994–1997	Independiente
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1997–2002	Independiente	80	(37)
2002–2004	Manchester United	63	(10)
2004–2007	Villarreal	106	(54)
2007–2011	Atlético Madrid	134	(74)
2011–2012	Inter Milan	18	(2)
2012–2014	Internacional	34	(10)
2014–2015	Cerezo Osaka	42	(17)
2015–2016	Peñarol	30	(8)
2016	Mumbai City	11	(5)
2018	Kitchee	7	(5)
Total		525	(222)
National team
1999	Uruguay U20
2002–2014	Uruguay	112	(36)
Teams managed
2020	Peñarol
2021	Atenas
Honours Men's football Representing  Uruguay Copa América Winner 2011 Third 2004
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Diego Forlán Corazo (born 19 May 1979) is a Uruguayan professional football manager and former football player. He played as a striker, which is a player whose main job is to score goals. Many people think Forlán was one of the best attackers of his time. He won the Pichichi Trophy twice, which is given to the top scorer in Spain's La Liga. He also won the European Golden Shoe twice for being the top scorer in European leagues.

Forlán had amazing success with the Uruguay national team at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He was one of the top scorers with five goals. He also won the "Goal of the Tournament" award for the best goal. Plus, he received the Golden Ball as the best player in the entire tournament.

He started his career in Uruguay with youth teams like Peñarol and Danubio. Then he moved to Argentina to play for Independiente. After playing well for four years, he joined Manchester United in England in 2002. While at United, he helped them win the Premier League in 2003 and the FA Cup in 2004.

In 2004, Forlán moved to Spain to play for Villarreal. In his first season there, he won the Pichichi Trophy. After two more successful years, he joined Atlético Madrid. There, he became the top scorer in the league again. Forlán scored a goal in Atlético's 2010 Europa League final win against Fulham. In 2011, he played for Inter Milan in Italy, then moved to Internacional in Brazil in 2012. He also played in Japan for Cerezo Osaka, back in Uruguay for Peñarol, in India for Mumbai City, and in Hong Kong for Kitchee. Forlán stopped playing professional football in August 2019.

Forlán also had a great international career. He scored 36 goals for Uruguay between 2002 and 2015. This included six goals at FIFA World Cups. In 2011, he broke the record for most international games played for Uruguay. In 2013, he became the first Uruguayan player to play 100 international games. Forlán was Uruguay's all-time top scorer until Luis Suárez scored more goals two years later.

Diego Forlán's Early Life and Family

Forlán grew up in Montevideo, Uruguay. His family lived in an apartment building near the casino and the rambla (a waterfront promenade). His father, Pablo Forlán, was also a famous football player for Uruguay.

Diego went to different schools and learned English from a young age. When he was a kid, he played both tennis and football. He often played football on the streets.

In 1991, when Diego was 12, his sister Alejandra was in a serious car accident. She was badly hurt and became handicapped. The medical bills were very expensive for his family. But then, famous football player Diego Maradona helped raise money for them. This inspired Diego to focus more on football. He hoped to earn money to help pay for his sister's treatment himself.

Forlán's Club Football Journey

Starting in South America

Diego Forlán was a big fan of Peñarol when he was a boy. He decided to become a football player like his dad. In 1995, when he was 16, he went to France for a tryout with a club called AS Nancy. But they didn't sign him, so he went back to South America.

He then got an offer to join Independiente in Argentina. He joined their reserve teams and played very well. Because some older players were injured, young Forlán got a chance to play with the main team. He made his first professional game on 26 October 1998.

Forlán scored 37 goals in 80 league games for Independiente. European clubs noticed how good he was at scoring.

Playing for Manchester United

In January 2002, Manchester United signed Forlán for about £6.9 million. He made his first game for them on 29 January 2002. He played 13 Premier League games and 5 Champions League games that season but didn't score.

On 18 September 2002, Forlán scored his first goal for United from a penalty kick. His first Premier League goal came on 26 October. On 1 December, he scored two goals in a game against Liverpool, which was a big win for United. He also scored the winning goal against Chelsea in the League Cup. Manchester United won the Premier League title in 2003. Forlán scored six goals that season, making him the third-best striker for the club.

In the 2003–04 season, Forlán scored goals in three different competitions. He scored against Leeds United in the League Cup, Portsmouth in the Premier League, and Rangers in the Champions League. He also scored two goals against Aston Villa. Forlán didn't play in the 2004 FA Cup Final where United won. His last game for United was on 15 August 2004.

Even after he left, Manchester United fans would sing about his two goals against Liverpool. Forlán said he liked hearing that song.

Success in Spain with Villarreal and Atlético Madrid

On 21 August 2004, Forlán joined Villarreal in Spain. He scored in his first game for them. Between December 2004 and January 2005, he scored seven goals in five games, including two goals against Barcelona. On 22 May 2005, he scored three goals (a hat-trick) against Barcelona. Villarreal finished third in the league that season, which meant they could play in the Champions League for the first time. Forlán won the Pichichi Trophy for scoring the most goals in La Liga with 25 goals. He also shared the European Golden Boot award with Thierry Henry.

Forlán playing for Atlético Madrid in 2007

In June 2007, Forlán moved to Atlético Madrid. He helped Atlético get into the UEFA Champions League for the first time in over ten years. He scored the winning goal against Deportivo de La Coruña. In his first season in Madrid, he scored 23 goals and played very well with Sergio Agüero.

On 9 May 2009, Forlán scored two goals to help Atlético qualify for the Champions League again. He scored a hat-trick against Athletic Bilbao. This helped him win the La Liga Pichichi Trophy and the European Golden Boot for a second time. He finished the 2008–09 season with 32 goals in 33 games.

Forlán playing for Atlético Madrid.

Forlán started the 2009–10 season slowly. But he played much better after a new manager, Quique Sánchez Flores, joined the team. Atlético reached the finals of both the Europa League and the Copa del Rey. On 14 February 2010, Forlán scored the first goal as Atlético beat Barcelona 2–1. On 22 April 2010, he scored the only goal in the Europa League semi-final against Liverpool. He scored again in the second game, helping Atlético reach the final. In the final against Fulham, Forlán scored two goals, leading Atlético to a 2–1 win. He was named man of the match. He ended the season with 28 goals.

The 2010–11 season started with another trophy for Forlán and Atlético. They won the UEFA Super Cup by beating Inter Milan 2–0.

Later Career: Italy, Brazil, Japan, and More

On 29 August 2011, Forlán joined Inter Milan in Italy. He made his first game on 11 September 2011 and scored a goal. He scored only two goals in 22 games for Inter. In July 2012, he left the club. Forlán later said he didn't play well because he was played in the wrong position.

Forlán playing for Internacional in 2013

On 6 July 2012, Forlán signed with Brazilian club Internacional. He scored his first two goals for Internacional in a 4–1 win. He also helped the club win the 2013 Campeonato Gaúcho tournament, scoring nine goals.

On 22 January 2014, Forlán moved to Japan to play for Cerezo Osaka. He scored his first goal for Cerezo in a 4–0 win in the AFC Champions League. On 12 April, he scored two goals in a local derby against Gamba Osaka. He scored his first hat-trick for Cerezo Osaka on 29 April 2015.

On 10 July 2015, Forlán signed with his childhood club Peñarol in Uruguay. He scored eight goals in 31 games and helped Peñarol win the league championship. He left the club in June 2016.

In August 2016, Forlán joined Indian Super League club Mumbai City. He scored three goals (a hat-trick) against Kerala Blasters in a 5–0 win. Mumbai City reached the semi-finals of the playoffs. Forlán was sent off with a red card in the second half of their semi-final game.

Forlán playing for Kitchee in 2018

On 4 January 2018, Forlán joined Hong Kong Premier League club Kitchee. He scored his first two goals for Kitchee on 28 January in a 7–0 win. He scored another hat-trick in the next game. Forlán helped Kitchee become the first team from Hong Kong to win a game in the AFC Champions League. On 13 May 2018, he played his last game for Kitchee, and the club won the Hong Kong Premier League that season.

A year after leaving Kitchee, Forlán announced he was retiring from professional football on 7 August 2019.

Forlán's International Career with Uruguay

Forlán playing for Uruguay at the 2007 Copa América

Forlán played his 100th game for Uruguay in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. On 11 October 2011, he scored his 32nd goal for Uruguay. This made him Uruguay's all-time top scorer in official matches.

World Cups and Copa América Tournaments

Forlán played his first game for Uruguay on 27 March 2002. He scored his first goal in a friendly game against Saudi Arabia. At the 2002 World Cup, he scored a goal against Senegal. Uruguay was eliminated from the tournament.

Forlán played in the 2004 Copa América in Peru. He played all six games as Uruguay finished third. He scored one goal in a 2–1 win against Ecuador.

At the 2007 Copa América, Forlán scored against Brazil in the semi-final. But he missed his shot in the penalty shootout, and Brazil won.

Forlán (right) with Luis Suárez at the 2010 World Cup

On 17 June 2008, Forlán scored three goals (a hat-trick) in a World Cup qualifying game against Peru.

At the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Forlán scored two goals against South Africa in a 3–0 win. On 2 July 2010, he scored a free kick against Ghana in the quarter-final. The game ended 1–1, and Uruguay won in a penalty shootout. On 6 July 2010, Forlán scored another long-range goal against the Netherlands in the semi-final. Uruguay lost 3–2. Forlán was the first player since 1990 to score three goals from outside the penalty area in one tournament.

On 10 July 2010, Forlán scored his last goal of the tournament against Germany in the third-place game. This goal was chosen by FIFA as the "Goal of the Tournament." Forlán also won the Golden Ball as the best player in the tournament. He was one of the top scorers with five goals.

Forlán in action at the 2011 Copa América final match

On 24 July 2011, Forlán scored two goals in the final against Paraguay. Uruguay won 3–0, winning their 15th Copa América title. Forlán's father and grandfather had also won this tournament with Uruguay.

On 16 June 2013, Forlán played in Uruguay's first game of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. In their second game, he won his 100th cap (international game) for Uruguay and scored the winning goal against Nigeria. He also played in the semi-final against Brazil, where he had a penalty kick saved.

Forlán was part of the Uruguay team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He started the first game against Costa Rica. Uruguay lost 3–1. Forlán did not play again until the Round of 16, where Uruguay lost to Colombia.

On 11 March 2015, Forlán announced he was retiring from the national team. He played 112 games for Uruguay and scored 36 goals.

Forlán's Playing Style

Diego Forlán was a very talented and smart player. He was known for being quick and versatile, meaning he could play in different attacking roles. He was great at scoring goals and could shoot powerfully and accurately with both feet, especially from far away. This made him a big threat outside the penalty box.

He was also good at taking free kicks and penalty kicks. Besides scoring, Forlán had excellent ball control and vision. He could pass well and understand the game, which allowed him to create chances for others. He was also praised for his leadership and how long he played at a high level.

Coaching Career

On 20 December 2019, Forlán became the manager of his old club Peñarol. He was in charge for 11 games but was let go on 1 September 2020. On 17 March 2021, he became the manager of Atenas. He left that role on 16 September 2021.

Tennis Career

Diego Forlán was a promising tennis player when he was young. He has continued to play tennis even after retiring from professional football. Since July 2023, he has been playing on the ITF Masters professional tennis tour. He is ranked in the 35+, 40+, and 45+ age groups. In June 2024, Forlán reached the quarterfinals of a big tennis tournament in Peru, winning three matches.

At 45 years old, he was set to play in his first professional ATP tournament. He got a special invitation to play in the doubles part of the 2024 Uruguay Open in Montevideo. He and his partner lost in the first round.

Personal Life

Forlán comes from a family of footballers. His father, Pablo, played in the 1966 and 1974 World Cups. His grandfather, Juan Carlos Corazzo, also played football in Argentina. Forlán has Italian, Basque, and Irish family roots. His nickname is Cachavacha, which is a witch from an Argentine cartoon. Besides Spanish, Forlán also speaks English. He writes with his right hand but plays tennis with his left hand.

He is a founder of the Alejandra Forlán Foundation. This organization, led by his sister, works to make driving safer.

Forlán is married to Paz Cardoso. They have two sons and a daughter.

Career statistics

Club

International

Scores and results list Uruguay's goal tally first.

List of international goals scored by Diego Forlán

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	27 March 2002	Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium, Damman, Saudi Arabia	Saudi Arabia	2–3	2–3	Friendly
2	11 June 2002	Suwon World Cup Stadium, Suwon, South Korea	Senegal	2–3	3–3	2002 FIFA World Cup
3	28 March 2003	National Stadium (Tokyo), Tokyo, Japan	Japan	1–0	2–2	Friendly
4	20 August 2003	Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence, Italy	Argentina	1–0	2–3	Friendly
5	7 September 2003	Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay	Bolivia	1–0	5–0	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
6	19 November 2003	Pinheirão, Curitiba, Brazil	Brazil	1–2	3–3	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
7	19 November 2003	Pinheirão, Curitiba, Brazil	Brazil	2–2	3–3	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
8	1 June 2004	Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay	Peru	1–3	1–3	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
9	10 July 2004	Estadio Elías Aguirre, Chiclayo, Peru	Ecuador	1–0	2–1	2004 Copa América
10	30 March 2005	Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay	Brazil	1–0	1–1	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
11	4 June 2005	Estadio José Pachencho Romero, Maracaibo, Venezuela	Venezuela	1–0	1–1	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
12	2 June 2007	Telstra Stadium, Sydney, Australia	Australia	1–1	2–1	Friendly
13	7 July 2007	Estadio Polideportivo de Pueblo Nuevo, San Cristóbal, Venezuela	Venezuela	1–0	4–1	2007 Copa América
14	7 July 2007	Estadio Polideportivo de Pueblo Nuevo, San Cristóbal, Venezuela	Venezuela	4–1	4–1	2007 Copa América
15	10 July 2007	Estadio José Pachencho Romero, Maracaibo, Venezuela	Brazil	1–1	2–2	2007 Copa América
16	13 October 2007	Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay	Bolivia	2–0	5–0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
17	17 June 2008	Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay	Peru	1–0	6–0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
18	17 June 2008	Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay	Peru	2–0	6–0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
19	17 June 2008	Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay	Peru	3–0	6–0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
20	28 March 2009	Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay	Paraguay	1–0	2–0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
21	10 June 2009	Polideportivo Cachamay, Ciudad Guayana, Venezuela	Venezuela	2–1	2–2	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
22	10 October 2009	Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa, Quito, Ecuador	Ecuador	2–1	2–1	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
23	3 March 2010	AFG Arena, St. Gallen, Switzerland	Switzerland	1–1	3–1	Friendly
24	27 May 2010	Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay	Israel	1–0	4–1	Friendly
25	16 June 2010	Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria, South Africa	South Africa	1–0	3–0	2010 FIFA World Cup
26	16 June 2010	Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria, South Africa	South Africa	2–0	3–0	2010 FIFA World Cup
27	2 July 2010	Soccer City, Johannesburg, South Africa	Ghana	1–1	1–1	2010 FIFA World Cup
28	6 July 2010	Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa	Netherlands	1–1	2–3	2010 FIFA World Cup
29	10 July 2010	Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa	Germany	2–1	2–3	2010 FIFA World Cup
30	24 July 2011	Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti, Buenos Aires, Argentina	Paraguay	2–0	3–0	2011 Copa América
31	24 July 2011	Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti, Buenos Aires, Argentina	Paraguay	3–0	3–0	2011 Copa América
32	11 October 2011	Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Asunción, Paraguay	Paraguay	1–0	1–1	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
33	2 June 2012	Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay	Venezuela	1–0	1–1	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
34	20 June 2013	Itaipava Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador, Brazil	Nigeria	2–1	2–1	2013 FIFA Confederations Cup
35	14 August 2013	Miyagi Stadium, Sendai, Japan	Japan	1–0	4–2	Friendly
36	14 August 2013	Miyagi Stadium, Sendai, Japan	Japan	2–0	4–2	Friendly

Managerial statistics

Managerial record by team and tenure

Team	Nat	From	To	Record
				G	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Win %
Peñarol		20 December 2019	31 August 2020	&&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012	&&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012	+0	&&&&&&&&&&&&&036.36000036.36
Atenas		17 March 2021	16 September 2021	&&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03	&&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08	+8	&&&&&&&&&&&&&033.33000033.33
Total				&&&&&&&&&&&&&023.&&&&&023	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07	&&&&&&&&&&&&&028.&&&&&028	&&&&&&&&&&&&&020.&&&&&020	+8	&&&&&&&&&&&&&034.78000034.78

Honours and Awards

Manchester United

• Premier League: 2002–03
• FA Cup: 2003–04
• FA Community Shield: 2003

Villarreal

• UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2004

Atlético Madrid

• UEFA Europa League: 2009–10
• UEFA Super Cup: 2010

Internacional

• Campeonato Gaúcho: 2013

Peñarol

• Primera División: 2015–16

Kitchee

• Hong Kong Premier League: 2017–18

Uruguay

• Copa América: 2011

Individual Awards

• La Liga Ibero-American Player of the Year: 2004–05
• Pichichi Trophy: 2004–05, 2008–09
• European Golden Shoe: 2004–05, 2008–09
• UEFA Europa League Final Man of The Match: 2010
• FIFA World Cup Golden Ball: 2010
• FIFA World Cup Goal of the Tournament: 2010
• FIFA World Cup top goalscorer: 2010
• FIFA World Cup Dream Team: 2010
• Campeonato Gaúcho top goalscorer: 2013
• IFFHS Uruguayan Men's Dream Team (Team B)

See also

In Spanish: Diego Forlán para niños

• List of footballers with 100 or more caps