Next month, Diego Forlan, a former striker for Manchester United, will compete in an ATP doubles tournament in his home country of Uruguay to make his professional tennis debut.
The 45-year-old, who announced his retirement from football in 2019, will compete in the Uruguay Open in Montevideo with Federico Coria of Argentina.
A talented tennis player in his teens, Forlan has participated in ITF Masters competitions, most recently in the 45 and over division.
Forlan must receive a wildcard for the tournament next month, which is an ATP-recognized event on the Challenger Tour, which is the second-tier circuit.
After hitting a career-high of 49 in 2023, his partner Coria is currently ranked 101st in the world in singles.
Before to La Liga, Forlan made 98 games for Manchester United after joining the team in 2002.
Forlan earned the European Golden Shoe, which is given to the continent’s greatest scorer, twice when he was in Spain.
After Uruguay finished third in South Africa, the forward earned the Golden Ball at the 2010 World Cup and led his nation to the Copa America championship in 2011.
