Diego Forlan’s tenure at Manchester United may not be one for the history books, but his goal celebration against Southampton will forever remain in fans’ memories.
The Uruguayan forward transferred to Old Trafford from Argentinian club Independiente in January 2002, with the Red Devils outbidding Middlesbrough for his services.
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However, the goal-scoring prowess that made Forlan a coveted player quickly evaded him in the Premier League.
In fact, he struggled to score in his first 23 league appearances under Sir Alex Ferguson.
His scoring drought finally came to an end in October 2002 when he netted an equalizer against Aston Villa, leading him to celebrate by removing his shirt.
Fortunately for him, it took just a week to score his second league goal.
However, it was what happened after this second goal that turned it into a memorable moment.
After coming on as a substitute in the 79th minute against Southampton, with the score level at 1-1, Forlan struck six minutes later with a stunning shot from outside the box, making it 2-1.
Eager to celebrate, he once again ripped his shirt off and dashed towards the fans.
But as the match resumed, fans were left puzzled by the sight of a topless player racing around the pitch.
That was, of course, Forlan, who struggled to put his shirt back on when the game restarted.
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Nonetheless, this didn’t deter Forlan from chasing down the ball with remarkable determination.
Clutching his jersey with one hand, Forlan dashed back to intercept a pass from Saints striker James Beattie, returning the ball to Red Devils goalkeeper Fabian Barthez to loud cheers from the Old Trafford crowd.
He then sprinted to the touchline, where three United staff members assisted him in getting his shirt back on.
Just two months later, he solidified his status as a United cult hero by scoring twice within three minutes during a 2-1 win against fierce rivals Liverpool.
However, Forlan’s time in England was largely challenging, with his celebration against Southampton and his stunning performance at Anfield being among his most notable contributions.
In total, Forlan made 98 appearances for the Red Devils, scoring 17 goals, before transferring to Villarreal for £2 million in 2004.
He would go on to find greater success in front of goal with Villarreal and later Atletico Madrid.
At 45 years old, Forlan had further stints at Inter Milan, Internacional, Cerezo Osaka, Penarol, Mumbai City, and Kitchee before retiring in 2019.
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https://talksport.com/football/2033631/man-united-diego-forlan-shirtless-celebration-gone-wrong/
