Yet, Forlan humbly acknowledges that even he falls short of the game’s elite, singling out one name above the rest: Lionel Messi. In an interview with GOAL, the former striker participated in a rapid-fire Q&A session where he compared top players, ultimately landing on Messi as the greatest of all time.

Among the names Forlan was given to choose from were Xavi and Iniesta, with Forlan selecting Xavi “because he’s from my generation.” When asked to pick between Luis Suarez and Real Madrid legend Raul González, Forlan surprised many by choosing Raúl over his fellow Uruguayan.

Forlan then picked Cristiano Ronaldo over Ronaldo Nazário, but when the final question came down to Messi versus Cristiano, he crowned the Argentine as the best player.

Forlan explains why he picks Messi over Ronaldo

Forlan has never shied away from voicing his preference for Messi over Cristiano Ronaldo. In a 2017 column for The National, the Uruguayan detailed his stance from a technical perspective.

“Messi can do it alone. Maybe Ronaldo needs a teammate to help change the game, but Messi can do it by himself,” Forlan noted, explaining what he sees as the key difference between the two modern legends.

“Ronaldo has evolved as a player. When he was younger, he was more like Messi. He liked to dribble and show off his skills. Now he’s more direct, a lethal machine who scores far more goals,” Forlan wrote at the time, referring to Ronaldo’s transformation into a center-forward.

“For years, Messi and Ronaldo have gone head-to-head, and they’ll keep doing so for years to come. I think Messi is a bit better, though some may disagree. Maybe there’s still time for them to change our minds.” It might be time to ask Forlan again if his view has shifted.

When talking about David De Gea the Uruguayan attacker was quick to tell the United keeper to go to Old Trafford, “Yeah, I remember we were playing together at Atletico Madrid… There were some rumors about him going to Manchester United and I said to him: ‘You need to go there, it’s a very beautiful place; the club, the team, the fans. The only thing [is] it’s not the best weather, but it’s difficult for you to have everything in life, but you will enjoy it. It’s a great city, one of the best clubs in the world, with the people and everything.’

When the Red Devils went after young Uruguayan Facundo Pellistri, Forlan was consulted by the club, “Yeah but everybody, you know like Pellistri, when they came to him, I spoke with Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer], at that moment he was the manager, and you know, it’s a beautiful, beautiful place. Everything you have, one of the best clubs, the people. The people working for the club are very nice people and it’s like a family. The fans, everywhere you go, so it’s no mistake for you to choose Manchester United. So, David and now Facundo had the opportunity to go there and then, of course, it depends on the player and the quality and to train to do your best. But it is the best option a player can have.”

Catching up with Facundo Pellistri

Playing for the national team of Uruguay is where Facundo Pellistri has stood out the most in recent matches. Pellistri was a surprise call up when Diego Alonso took control of the Uruguayan national team and would become a firm starter in the last four games of Conmebol World Cup qualifying, providing a man of the match performance against Venezuela and eventually qualifying to the 2022 World Cup.

Currently on loan to Alaves in Spain, Pellistri has played in only 19 matches this season and is often used as a substitute. The reason he has not seen playing time is because Pellistri is more prone to be an attacking option, as Alaves sit bottom of LaLiga the club tends to defend more.

At the international level Pellistri has shown to be dynamic and flashy during World Cup qualification. Despite his short frame, Pellistri is firm on the ball and provides viable scoring options on the right side of the pitch.

Forlan has been quick to point out the talent the winger has and sees a future for him at Old Trafford, “I think he is adapting very well. When the club told me about him, I told them everything, because he is a player with potential, good skills and speed. He is still young, and it is not easy to come to an institution as big as Manchester United, but I think that being on loan at Alavés will give him good opportunities… He is still growing, so I think he can still have a chance to play in the Manchester United first team in the future.”