Build from the ground up: Diego Forlan’s blueprint for Indian football

Diego Forlan is back in India almost a decade after his last appearance in the country, but this time the former Uruguay striker is back with a completely different job. Now in the trenches, Forlan prepares Uruguay for their October 6 friendly against India in Kolkata while offering his read on what Indian football needs to produce better players.

Speaking to reporters in Kolkata ahead of the match, Forlan was asked what India needed to do to improve its footballers. Instead of focusing on the senior team or looking for another short-term answer, the Uruguayan coach took the conversation back to the beginning, pointing to academies, young players and the need for kids to simply play more football.

“It’s not an easy question, but you need to build from the ground up. Academies, young players, kids to start playing a lot.”

“If you build more academies, the league will get stronger and stronger, you’ll get more players and better players, that’s for sure.”

The comments came after Forlan followed them India lost to Brazil 4-0 at Salt Lake Stadium on Oct. 3. There was a clear gap at the final whistle, but India made Brazil work during the opening stages and showed enough forwards for Forlan to see something worth developing.

THAT’S WHERE TALENT IS WORTH DEVELOPING

Forlan captured these moments. He saw Indian players willing to combine, run at Brazil and try to play rather than sit all evening.

“You can see some combinations, some young players, some good players that you can see that if you give them time and space, they can do damage and they can play well.

Ryan Williams was one of India’s liveliest outlets, while Manvir Singh and Sahal Abdul Samad also had moments to get India ahead. The defensive line of the home team caught Vincius Jr. offside several times in the opening stages, which frustrated the Brazilian striker for long stretches.

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Brazil finally found their rhythm. Estvo and Pedro scored before the break and the second half became increasingly difficult for India as individual mistakes were punished. The 4-0 finish reflected Brazil’s dominance but also underlined why games against opposition of such caliber can be beneficial for an emerging side.

Forlan believes repeated exposure to this level can help young players understand what is required.

“I think this kind of game, playing against the best in the world and also having stronger games, would improve the development of young players in the near future.”

India certainly faced strong opposition during this window. Panama finished first in Bengaluru on September 25, India drew 1-1. Brazil followed in Kolkata and Uruguay is next on October 6.

For players, the lesson is quite clear. There is less time on the ball, mistakes are punished more quickly and short lapses in concentration can change the course of the game.

But once the Uruguay match is over, those players will return to their clubs. This is where those experiences have to count.

FROM THE DAYS OF ISL TO THE PRESENT

Forlan knows the Indians game from a different time and from a completely different position.

In 2016, he joined Mumbai City as their marquee player and captain, playing alongside Sunil Chhetri during the early years of the ISL. He was one of the league’s biggest attractions and quickly became part of its growing football culture.

Calcutta provided one of his memorable nights. On 25 October 2016, Forlan scored the winner as Mumbai City beat Atltico de Kolkata 1–0 at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium. Later that season, he returned for the semi-finals where he was sent off as Mumbai lost 3–2 in the first leg before Atltico eventually progressed.

Almost 10 years later, he is back in Kolkata as Uruguay’s coach. The setting is familiar, but the view is different. He is no longer expected to decide the game. Now he looks at the opposition, their players and the system that produced them.

That’s why his answer about the academies is particularly telling.

Forlan has spent enough time around Indian football to know that there are players capable of doing things on the football field. His concern is whether enough will pass and whether they will get the training, competition and playing time needed to take the next step.

More academies alone will not change Indian football. However, a larger, better organized base would give clubs more players to develop and the national team a bigger pool to draw from.

The process begins long before a player enters a senior national camp.

THE NEXT TEST IS URUGUAY

Now comes another difficult evening.

Uruguay face India at the Salt Lake Stadium on October 6, giving Khalid Jamil’s side another opportunity to test themselves against a team used to playing at the highest level. Forlan knows India will have ambitions of its own, but he is taking nothing for granted.

“You have to respect everyone. We know it won’t be easy.”

Uruguay arrive in Kolkata on the back of a 4-1 win over South Korea and with several established names in their squad, although captain Federico Valverde is missing due to injury. Forlan is also overseeing a side in transition after taking over following the departure of Marcelo Bielsa.

For India, the match is less about trying to repeat the moments that worked against Brazil and more about showing that those moments can be repeated. The loss to Panama showed that India could compete in a different kind of game; Brazil showed what happens when the opposition have the quality to punish every opening.

Uruguay will bring another set of demands.

Forlan will be watching from the opposite trench, almost a decade after he was last here as a player. He will see an Indian team that has changed a lot since his ISL days and players struggling to make it at the level he has spent his career at.
But his message goes beyond Tuesday night.

India will need more than the occasional big friendly to build a team capable of consistently competing with the world’s stronger nations. The value of the matches against Panama, Brazil and Uruguay will ultimately depend on what the players take back with them to their clubs and academies and whether those lessons translate into better performances and stronger development over time.

– The end