Diego Forlán insists 'Our values will not change' ahead of Uruguay's trip to Kolkata for match against India
Diego Forlán, newly appointed head coach of Uruguay, spoke to reporters ahead of his side’s match against India at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on 6 October 2026. He told the media: “It’s our values that will not change. They need to understand: I am gonna be the same whether I win or lose.”
The Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan is scheduled to host the fixture between India and two-time world champions Uruguay on 6th October. India arrive after a 1-1 draw with Panama and a 4-0 defeat to Brazil, a performance that drew praise from Brazil players Bruno Guimarães and Vinicius Jr. Uruguay are in a transitional period after bowing out of the FIFA World Cup 2026 at the group stage and failing to win games against Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde; Marco Bielsa was sacked and Diego Forlán was appointed head coach. Forlán is familiar with Indian football from his spell playing in the ISL for Mumbai City FC.
Forlán addressed the personal and professional pressure that comes with the Uruguay job and placed his appointment in a family context, noting his lineage of coaches and his playing career under notable managers. He said: “As a player and as a manager, there is always different pressure. You need to make the team play well. Our history is long. Pressure comes along with this career as a player and manager. My grandfather was also a coach and my Father too. I think it’s never happened in the history of football. My family is really happy.”
He praised India’s display against Brazil and commented on changes in Indian football over the past decade, calling matches against high-profile opponents a positive development. “India had some really good moments. There were some really nice combinations of plays from the Indian team against Brazil,” Forlán said, adding that it was beneficial for India to organise friendlies against teams like Brazil and Uruguay.
Recalling his previous stint in India, Forlán referenced a six-month period that ended on a sour note after he received a red card against ATK in the first leg of the semi-finals for Mumbai City FC, but described his wider experience positively. “Since I left, many things have happened. When I was here, I saw really good, young and talented players. It is good that the Indian football team is playing against big teams like Brazil and Uruguay.” He also said: “Like in Kolkata, Kerala, Goa, and Mumbai, I really enjoyed playing in India. The Northeast also had some really good players. The cities I mentioned above have a good football culture.” “The experience was good. Hospitality in Kolkata was great. Every time I’ve come here in India, people have been nice. It’s a very historic and cultural place to be.”
On Uruguay’s recent World Cup exits and the social-media reaction to results, Forlán urged perspective, saying: “We need to understand that we are going to win and lose. When we win, we are not the best, and when we lose, we are not the worst. When we didn’t qualify for the knockout in the last two editions, it’s not good for Uruguay.” He defended the quality of his squad, noting: “It’s not that we don’t have good players. Ronald Araujo and Fede Valverde, two captains of FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, were with us. People on social media don’t understand what the players feel.”
Uruguay’s recent results form the immediate backdrop to Forlán’s tenure: a 1-1 draw with Saudi Arabia, a 2-2 draw against Cabo Verde, a 1-0 loss to Spain, a 3-1 defeat to Japan and a 4-1 win over South Korea in their most recent outing.
The Indian National Football Team will play against Uruguay on 6th October, 2026. The match will be played at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan VYBK in Kolkata.
