Diego Forlán in the 2011 CONMEBOL Copa América grand final
2023-05-18
Historic striker and standout player for the Uruguayan national team in their last CONMEBOL Copa América conquest, Diego Forlán turned 44 on May 19, 2023. It is worth recalling the two goals scored by «Cachavacha» to secure the title for Uruguay in 2011.
Diego Forlán comes from a family of champions. His father, Pablo Forlán, won the CONMEBOL Copa América in 1967, when he was coached by Diego’s grandfather, Juan Carlos Corazzo, who had also led the Uruguayan team to another victorious campaign, in 1959.
Nicknamed «Cachavacha» after a cartoon character, Diego joined the list of family champions after being called up for the Uruguayan team before the 2011 CONMEBOL Copa América in Argentina. Forlán had recently delivered an impressive performance at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, coming up as the tournament’s top scorer and Uruguay’s biggest star.
Throughout the competition, Forlán failed to score in the group stage, quarter-finals, or semi-finals. He apparently had been saving his goals for the most important match of all.
The «Celeste» would face Paraguay in the CONMEBOL Copa América final on July 24, 2011 at the Estadio Monumental. Diego started alongside Luis Suárez, a magnificent attacking duo who struck fear in the hearts of defenders.
The first to find the net in the final was Suárez, who opened the scoring for the Charrúas with a cross kick in the 11th minute.
Before the end of the first half, at minute 42, Forlán scored his first goal in the 2011 CONMEBOL Copa América, after completing a pass with a left-footed shot that left the opposing goalkeeper paralyzed, making it 2-0.
In the final minutes of the match, Uruguay’s icing on the cake came after a lethal counter-attack, when Luis Suárez made a head pass to Forlán, who was left alone against goalkeeper Justo Villar and sent it to the bottom of the net, sealing the 3-0 win for the Uruguayan celebration in Buenos Aires.
Diego Forlán played his last match with Celeste at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. He left the national team with 112 matches played, 36 goals and a CONMEBOL Copa América title under his belt.
CONMEBOL.com / AFP