MU legend hospitalized in critical condition

Ex-Man Utd forward Diego Forlan was taken to the emergency room following a severe injury in a veterans' friendly game held in Uruguay.

The frightening incident occurred while Diego Forlan was playing for Old Boys in the Liga Universitaria match for players over 40, against Old Christians last weekend.

The 2010 World Cup Golden Ball winner reportedly fell awkwardly after a strong aerial challenge with an opponent, resulting in severe pain and breathing difficulties.

According to the Uruguayan newspaper El Observador, Forlan caused alarm when he lay motionless on the pitch following the fall in this amateur match. A sideline video shows his Old Boys teammates rushing to assist the former Man Utd star.

After receiving immediate medical attention on the field, Forlan was quickly transferred to a nearby hospital where doctors performed a chest drainage to remove fluid buildup. The former Uruguay international, capped 112 times, is expected to remain hospitalized for observation until Tuesday (local time).

Before the injury, Forlan had scored twice, playing a key role in Old Boys’ 4-1 victory.

Sources from El Observador report that Forlan’s condition has stabilized. The 2002/03 Premier League champion also stated he holds no grudges against the opposing player involved in the collision.

“I will be admitted to hospital and they will insert a tube to drain blood. I will probably stay hospitalized until Tuesday,” Forlan told friends via WhatsApp from his hospital bed.

“In my 20 years of professional football, I have never experienced anything like this.”

Forlan added: “It wasn’t his fault. Really, it wasn’t. He just accidentally unbalanced me while we were in the air, and my arm got trapped so I couldn’t break the fall. I fell straight down like a sack.”

After a brief stint with Kitchee in the Hong Kong Premier League, Forlan retired in August 2019. However, last year he surprisingly switched to professional tennis, gaining attention with his debut at the 2024 ATP Uruguay Open.

Diego Forlan is considered among the greatest goal scorers in South American football history. He began his career with Independiente (Argentina) before joining Man Utd in 2002, where he won the Premier League and FA Cup. Forlan later shone at Villarreal and Atletico Madrid, winning the European Golden Shoe twice. His career pinnacle came at the 2010 World Cup, leading Uruguay to the semifinals and earning the tournament’s Golden Ball. He retired in 2019, leaving behind a legacy as a hardworking and talented icon.

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