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A former Manchester United striker has revealed the role Ruud van Nistelrooy played in his decision to leave the club.
Uruguayan star Diego Forlan has revealed the pivotal moment that led to his departure from Manchester United, pointing to Ruud van Nistelrooy's influence on his playing time under Sir Alex Ferguson.
The 45-year-old Uruguayan striker reflected on his challenging period at Old Trafford, describing how his opportunities were limited by Van Nistelrooy's dominance in the team.
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Forlan joined the club in 2002, with the Red Devils already packed in attack with players like Van Nistelrooy and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. However, his time at United was marked by struggle and limited game time.
The striker's frustration grew at Old Trafford and he found himself marginalised.
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"It was difficult to get in the first team," Forlan told TalkSport. "I was coming from the Argentinian league, which is different from the Premier League. Getting only five or ten minutes each game made it hard to adapt."
Speaking further, Forlan recalled what led to his decision to leave the club for greener pastures.
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"I scored around seven or eight goals in 11 games, but the consistency wasn't there. The English press was relentless, and for six months, I couldn't find the back of the net."
"I remember the gaffer [Sir Alex Ferguson] came to me and said, 'Ruud wants to play on his own,'" Forlan recalled. "He was a great player, a great goalscorer, so I found myself on the bench."
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Ultimately, Forlan made the difficult decision to leave United, turning down a two-and-a-half-year contract extension. His move to Spain would prove transformative for his career.
At Villarreal and Atletico Madrid, Forlan became a true football superstar. In his first season in LaLiga, he claimed the Pichichi Trophy as top scorer with 25 goals, beating notable stars like Samuel Eto'o and Cristiano Ronaldo.
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He would go on to win two Pichichi awards, even sharing one with Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.
The story illustrates the competitive nature of top-level football, where even talented players can struggle to find their place in star-studded teams.
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But while Forlan, who also became a hero for his country after United, has since switched from football to tennis, his former teammate, Nistelrooy, responsible for his exit, was recently manager of the Red Devils.
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