Uruguayan striker Diego Forlan was in Kolkata for a promotional event and as his personal interpreter Devyani Rao got up close and personal
Fresh from his goalscoring exploits in the World Cup, 31-year-old Uruguayan striker and winner of the FIFA Golden Ball, Diego Forlán Corazo, along with elder brother Pablo, arrived in Kolkata on July 30. He was part of a football reality TV show for the newly launched Bengali channel Mahuaa Bangla. As his personal interpreter, I got a chance to interact with the Uruguayan striker. Forlán met a group of young Indian footballers, who had been training for the last couple of weeks under Brazilian legend Branco, and who were also coached briefly by another Brazilian great — Romário.
Quiet, affable and unassuming, Forlán constantly obliged requests for photographs and autographs. And away from the limelight, too, he was a thorough gentleman. When he was approached, while at the World Cup, to be part of this reality show in India, Forlán readily agreed. “It was exciting for me to come to India and get to know a different culture, and I would like to come back and help popularise Indian football,” he says.
Forlán made a quick visit to Mother Teresa’s home and the neighbouring orphanage where, away from the shutterbugs, he took time to appreciate the work of the Missionaries of Charity. Hours later, after giving a pep talk to the team, Forlán appeared before the crowd of 40,000 who had come to see him at the stadium. People thronged toward him as we made our way from the dressing room and as he stepped onto the field the crowd erupted in cheers.
Sitting on the bench with him and Branco, I listened eagerly as Forlán illustrated some tactical changes. The young challengers beat Mohun Bagan, and the 2-0 scoreline was testament to Branco’s efforts at training a group of amateurs from scratch in a fortnight. It was a virtual stampede as we tried to make a quick exit post-match, and while a commando literally scooped me up in his arms and got me out of the crowd, Forlán’s car too spent several minutes trying to exit the stadium.
What is striking about Forlán was how grounded he is, despite his fame. Perhaps it is because he has known adversity from a young age. His sister Alejandra was left paralysed for life after a terrible car crash. Talking about the Alejandra Forlán Foundation, which was created thereafter, Forlán says “As co-founder, I assist her in the foundation, which tries to help reduce the risk of car accidents and provide assistance to injured victims through various events.” Though his decision to take up professional football was not with the aim of paying for his sister’s treatment, it served the purpose greatly, he says, adding, that it is what anyone in any profession would do for their family.
One of those who has been a friend to the Forlán family, and who played in a charity match for the foundation in 1997, is none other than Diego Maradona. Asked what he thought about the fact that a Uruguayan daily had recently compared the two great ‘Diegos’ of football, he responded, “There’s no comparison at all. Maradona is one of the all-time greats and there is no question of comparing us.”
His brother and best friend, Pablo, a retired professional footballer, moved to Madrid with him, and Forlán seems to be enjoying his life in the Spanish capital after a not-so great time at English giants Manchester United.
Post-retirement, whether he follows in the footsteps of Uruguayan legend Enzo Francescoli or becomes a coach, he knows football will always remain a part of his life. And come December, when FIFA will make the formal presentation, the Golden Ball will take its rightful place in the home of its deserving winner.
Devyani Rao is a Delhi-based freelance writer
