30 Facts About Diego Forlan

1. On 12 July 2011, at the 2011 Copa America in Argentina, which Uruguay won, Diego Forlan earned his 79th international cap in a match against Mexico, breaking the record held since 1986 by goalkeeper Rodolfo Rodriguez.

2. On 20 June 2013, in a match against Nigeria at the 2013 Confederations Cup, Diego Forlan became the first Uruguayan to win 100 caps.

3. In 1995, when he was 16, Diego Forlan was brought to France by manager Laszlo Boloni, and spent several months on trial at AS Nancy.

4. On 18 September 2002, Diego Forlan came on as a 56th-minute substitute for Ryan Giggs in a Champions League match versus Maccabi Haifa.

5. The goal became notable due to his goal celebration where he ripped off his jersey, but then struggled to put it back on as the game recommenced, with Diego Forlan making a blocked tackle while shirtless.

6. On 17 December 2002, Diego Forlan scored the winning goal as United defeated Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the Football League Cup.

7. On 18 January 2003, Diego Forlan scored a 90th-minute winning goal to again defeat Chelsea, this time in a Premier League match.

8. In May 2008, Diego Forlan helped Atletico qualify for the Champions League for the first time in over a decade, scoring the winning goal against Deportivo de La Coruna.

9. On 9 May 2009, Diego Forlan scored twice against Espanyol to help Atletico clinch Champions League qualification for a second successive year.

10. On 23 May 2009, Diego Forlan scored a hat-trick against Athletic Bilbao, which helped him win the La Liga Pichichi Trophy, as well as the European Golden Boot for a second time.

11. Atletico started to improve after the arrival new manager Quique Sanchez Flores, and , Diego Forlan flourished in the second half of the season, as Atletico reached the finals of both the Europa League and Copa del Rey.

12. On 22 April 2010, Diego Forlan scored the only goal of the game in Atletico's Europa League semi-final first leg at home to Liverpool.

13. On 6 July 2012, after terminating his contract with Inter, Diego Forlan signed a three-year deal with Brazilian club Internacional.

14. In January 2013, Diego Forlan was linked with another Mexican team, the recently promoted Club Leon.

15. On 22 January 2014, Diego Forlan signed an 18-month deal with Japanese J1 League side Cerezo Osaka.

16. On 10 July 2015, Diego Forlan signed an 18-month contract with his boyhood club Penarol.

17. On 14 June 2016 at a press conference, Diego Forlan said he would be leaving the club.

18. On 4 January 2018, Diego Forlan joined Hong Kong Premier League club Kitchee.

19. Year after leaving Kitchee, Diego Forlan announced his retirement from professional football on 7 August 2019.

20. On 17 June 2008, Diego Forlan scored a hat-trick in a World Cup qualifying game against Peru.

21. On 16 June 2010, during Uruguay's second group game in the 2010 World Cup against South Africa, Diego Forlan opened the scoring with a right footed long range effort.

22. On 2 July 2010, Diego Forlan scored a free kick against Ghana to equalise in the quarter-final.

23. On 6 July 2010, Diego Forlan scored another long range goal, this time with his left foot to equalise against the Netherlands in the semi-final.

24. On 10 July 2010, Diego Forlan scored for the final time in the tournament as he netted a well-executed volley from the edge of the area to give Uruguay the lead.

25. On 16 June 2013, Diego Forlan appeared as a 69th-minute substitute in Uruguay's opening 2013 Confederations Cup match against Spain.

26. On 11 March 2015, Diego Forlan announced his retirement from the national team.

27. Talented, technically gifted, hardworking and creative player, with an eye for goal, Diego Forlan was a quick, clever, complete and versatile forward, with a good positional sense, who was capable of playing anywhere along the front line.

28. Alongside this, Diego Forlan was an accurate set-piece and penalty kick taker.

29. On 20 December 2019, Diego Forlan was appointed as manager of his former club Penarol.

30. In 2009, Diego Forlan appeared in a music video for Coti starring alongside Argentine footballer Maxi Rodriguez.