Forlan: I don’t need objectives to perform

There is not much that has not already been said about Uruguayan striker Diego Forlan. Now 33, and a veteran of 17 seasons of top-flight football in Argentina, England, Spain, Italy and now Brazil, Forlan knows all about life in the spotlight, especially after his exploits at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, where he capped his side’s run to fourth place by pocketing the adidas Golden Ball, awarded to the tournament’s most outstanding player.
The stalwart sharpshooter gave FIFA.com an exclusive interview at his new base in Porto Alegre, where he spoke about his return to South American football with Internacional, Uruguay’s bid to qualify for Brazil 2014 and what lies in store in his already successful career.
FIFA.com: Diego, what does your return to South America mean career-wise?
Diego Forlan: It’s a different situation in a different country. That’s what it means. After ten years in Europe it seemed to me to be the right time to change, and after my experience in Italy and having played in Spain and England, I felt that phase of my career had come to an end.
Were there no challenges left for you in Europe?
I don’t see it like that. I had ten amazing years there, even if there was the odd downside, like not playing that much at Inter Milan. I had offers to carry on there but then I got this chance to come to a big side in a very competitive league on a three-year contract. As if that weren’t enough, it also meant I’d be close to home, family and friends again. Everything conspired for me to make this return.
Do you see yourself going back to Europe?
To be honest, right now I’m not thinking about Europe or anywhere else. I’m 33 and I want to play for as long as possible, but I don’t know what shape I’ll be in when I’m 36 (laughs).
Did you think about playing in Uruguay?
No. The fact is, nobody knew I was going back to South America because the Inter offer was pretty much kept secret until the deal was done, which meant there was no time for any Uruguayan team even to think about me.
Do you feel like you have unfinished business there?
Not at all. And in any case, it wouldn’t be easy and I don’t want to give anyone false hopes. I’m happy with the decision I made. Inter are a big club.
What attracted you to the Brazilian league?
The fact that it’s always been a tough league, with six or seven teams fighting for the top four places, and which in the last few years has gone right down to the wire. The quality of football’s good, and you’ve got big teams and great derbies. It’s a fantastic challenge.