Forlan carries instant authority in this shirt.
That matters. International management is not only about the training ground. It is also about credibility, message and public calm. Few figures have more of that in Uruguay than Forlan. In a moment of frustration, the federation may value a coach who already speaks to the country’s football identity.
The update says Bielsa left after Uruguay failed to get out of their World Cup group, with criticism aimed at both his tactical calls and the decision to bring Fernando Muslera back into the picture. That is a rough ending for a coach whose reputation is built on intensity, structure and control.
For Uruguay, the bigger concern is the pattern. A country that measures itself against the elite does not accept early exits quietly. The next coach was always going to inherit pressure, not patience.
This is where the risk sits. Forlan’s coaching CV is still thin.
That is a very small sample before stepping into one of the biggest jobs in the region. Great players do not automatically become elite coaches. Selection calls, dressing-room management and tournament planning are different tests.
If the appointment goes through on the reported interim terms, the first friendlies in September, October and March will matter immediately. Team balance, leadership choices and the tone of Forlan’s first squad could shape whether this is a short-term reset or the start of a longer chapter.