Diego Forlán was one of the best strikers of his generation, but he dreamed of a tennis career. His family was helped by Diego Maradona

Diego Forlán may not be mentioned in discussions about the best footballers in history, but he was undoubtedly one of the best players and strikers of his generation. He shone especially at Atlético Madrid and in the Uruguayan national team jersey. It was only by coincidence that he came to football. What is his story?

He wanted to be a tennis player, but circumstances forced him to change his career

Diego Forlán was born in Uruguay, specifically in Montevideo. His father Pablo used to be a great footballer, playing for big clubs in South America. For example, Sao Paulo, Cruzeiro and Peñarol, with whom he became Uruguayan champion four times. He also played for the national team.

So one could understand if little Diego wanted to kick a ball like his dad. But that wasn’t originally the case. The now-legendary striker wanted a professional tennis career, but it wasn’t to be. Even though he made the decision himself.

Forlán’s older sister, Alejandra, was in a serious car accident with her boyfriend Gonzalo when she was 17. Neither was wearing a seatbelt and while Gonzalo died at the scene, Alejandra was paralysed and unable to move her entire body.

And this was the turning point in Diego’s life. His family did their best to provide the sister with funds to cover medical care. At that moment, the legendary Diego Maradona got wind of it all, and he stepped up to help generously.

It was a big event for the then 12-year-old Uruguayan boy. Diego had already played football and was talented at it, but that’s when the bread began to break and Forlán threw himself fully into football.

At the age of 15, Forlán moved from Uruguay to Argentina, where he began to make a name for himself in the traditional Independiente team. He left such an impression in that side that he was bought out by Manchester United, led by Sir Alex Ferguson, for a then immodest €11 million.

Manchester United did not suit him, yet he became a cult hero at Old Trafford

When the defining moment of his career came, Diego Forlán was 22 years old. It’s common knowledge that Sir Alex Ferguson had an incredible nose for great footballing talent. He was often wrong. And he wasn’t wrong in the case of the Uruguayan offensive all-rounder either, it’s just that his wheat didn’t bloom at Old Trafford.

Forlán has languished as a goalscorer in Manchester. Plus, he faced insane competition. Ruud van Nistelrooy, Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer played for the Red Devils.

So he was only in England until the summer of 2004, just over two and a half years. But did he leave no legacy? Certainly not. He became a cult hero in Manchester in such a short time. Forlán’s name was still being chanted by fans long after his departure.

After all, he scored a respectable 17 goals in 97 games and added 11 assists. His two-goal haul against Liverpool in particular will never be forgotten at Old Trafford. Moreover, he won four trophies with the club, including the one for the Premier League winner.

The fatal Spain and the lethal attacking duo Forlán – Agüero

It started at Villarreal

Although Diego Forlán has made his mark in the memory of fans mainly through his involvement with Atlético Madrid, he first shone in Spain in a Villarreal jersey. The latter bought him from the Isles for just €3 million and three years later sold him for seven times that amount.

It was at Villarreal that the 27-year-old Forlán shot so well that he dominated the scoring stats in Spain’s top competition. He scored 25 goals in his first season. In the second one he was a bit more “modest”, but 13 competitive goals were not bad either. In the third one, he shone again and reached the 20-goal mark.

In a modest Spanish side, the Uruguayan proved Alex Ferguson right. However, they were not destined for joint success and so it came elsewhere. At the third club he represented in Europe.

Atlético’s investment has paid off, Forlán has become a legend

Atlético Madrid may not be the biggest club in Spain, but they are certainly one of the unquestioned leaders. And Diego Forlán, who arrived after the departure of Fernando Torres, contributed to that during his engagement. He thus complemented the rising megatalent of Sergio Agüero.

And one of the most iconic and lethal attacks not only in the Spanish league was born. Agüero and Forlán were an unlikely match. Agüero’s speed and quickness in finishing, Forlán’s versatility. It was a match made in heaven.

Forlán was helped by the fact that he was very complex. He could play in attack, on the wing, under the top. It didn’t matter. He was great at direct kicks, he scored goals from long distances, he was equally great at creating play, he gave away final passes, he wasn’t lazy on the step, he ran a lot.

In four seasons he was twice Atlético’s top scorer, twice assisted by Agüero. And the numbers Forlán has racked up aren’t bad at all, and just show his versatility. 198 games, 96 goals, 31 assists.

Moreover, even at Atlético, one dominated the Spanish league’s shooting stats and won the goalscoring crown. He is the only player to have won this award twice without playing for Real Madrid or Barcelona.

He is one of the top scorers in the club’s history, plus he helped to memorable Europa League (2010) and European Super Cup (2010) victories.

A failed stint in Italy at the beginning of the end

After great years in Spain, Diego Forlán made way for another cannonballer – Radamel Falcao. He thus moved to Italy, where his services were used by Inter Milan, another big club. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out as expected.

The Uruguayan has often had problems with injuries. When he was healthy, he never found his great form. After a year, during which he played 20 games with a record of 2 goals and 2 assists, he left for Brazil.

He managed to play his part in the Internacional jersey, but the end of his career was knocking on the door, so Forlán tried out the first and second Japanese leagues in the Cerezo Osaka jersey. In Uruguay, he wore the jersey of Peñarol, where his father worked, and he also gave joy in the Indian and Hong Kong leagues, where he ended his career.

The patent for beautiful goals, the heart of a fighter. He showed all this in the national team

Diego Forlán left a big mark in his club career, but he shone even more on the national team, showing his true leadership and heart, even if he didn’t often wear the captain’s armband on his left arm.

He is currently only the third top scorer in Uruguayan history, but Edinson Cavani and Luis Suárez are ahead of him, which is no shame. Moreover, it was often Forlán who was able to lead the team at key moments.

After all, he won the Copa América with Uruguay in 2011, scoring two crucial goals in the final match. In addition, for example, he led his team past Argentina in a dramatic quarter-final.

However, he shone the most at the 2010 World Cup. South Africa were incredibly good for him and Forlán scored 5 goals and added 2 assists. He was named the best player of the tournament, for example against the Netherlands and Germany. Uruguay finished fourth after a great tournament.

Source: Diego Forlán, Transfermarkt, Sportskeeda,