Ex-Man Utd striker Diego Forlan tells of way he was better than Cristiano Ronaldo

Manchester United icon Diego Forlán, one of the standout players of the 2010 World Cup with Uruguay, says he should be remembered as one of football’s greatest long-range shooters.

His ability to master the Jabulani—the controversial ball used during the tournament in South Africa—became one of his trademarks, despite widespread criticism of the ball from players and coaches at the time.

In a recent interview with Las Voces del Fútbol, the former Uruguayan striker acknowledged that he is rarely mentioned among the best shooters in football history.

However, he did not hesitate to place himself ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo in one particular aspect of the game.

"I loved striking the ball while it was in motion. Obviously, I also enjoyed set pieces and scored goals from them, but there’s a big difference between me and other great shooters in football history—both in Uruguay and worldwide: I could shoot with both feet," Forlán said.

He continued: "I find it surprising that I’m not ranked among the best shooters. The difference between me and others is that I could strike the ball with my right and left foot and score goals with both."

When asked about Cristiano Ronaldo, Forlán confidently stated:"Yes, but he didn’t shoot from as far out as I did—with my left foot from 35 meters.

"Cristiano struck the ball well, but mostly from close to the penalty area. I could name many of my goals scored from 35 meters out with my left foot."

In 2024, Forlán also commented on Ronaldo's evolution as a player:"Ronaldo has evolved as a player. When he was younger, he was more like Messi. He loved to dribble and show off his skills, but now he’s more direct, a lethal machine who scores many more goals."

However, he made his personal preference clear: "Maybe there’s still time to change my opinion, but for me, Messi is the best."

Forlán and Ronaldo were teammates at Manchester United, sharing the pitch in 21 matches. During that time, Forlán witnessed the early days of Ronaldo’s career, as the Portuguese star had just arrived from Sporting Lisbon.

Despite retiring from professional football in 2019, Forlán has remained active in sports. After a brief and unsuccessful stint as a football manager, where he failed to achieve the expected results, the former striker discovered a new passion: tennis.

Forlán’s connection to tennis runs in the family—his father played the sport, and he inherited the love for it. Now, he has returned to professional competition with a racket in hand.

His official debut in tennis came alongside Argentine player Federico Coria, who accepted Forlán’s invitation to compete together. The duo faced Bolivians Boris Arias and Federico Zeballos in the first round of the Uruguay Open, but lost 6-1, 6-2.

Though his first match ended in defeat, Forlán’s transition from football to tennis shows his competitive spirit remains alive, even in a different sport.