The Former Uruguayan forward Diego Forlan is ready to start a career in professional tennis after retiring from his astonishing football career.

The 45-year-old Atletico Madrid star will debut in an ATP doubles event along with Argentine tennis professional Federico Coria in Montevideo, Uruguay.

Forlan switched to tennis after his retirement in 2019. However, the FIFA World Cup semi-finalist will make his debut in an ATP-level tennis tournament in the Uruguay Open Tennis tournament in the upcoming November.

Forlan joined Manchester United in 2002 and made 98 appearances, before joining the La Liga side Villarreal.

Footballers Who Also Played Professional Tennis

It is very rare for professional footballers who have successfully switched to a high level of tennis. The different physical and technical demands of each sport make it difficult to excel in both at the top levels. Though few examples are there, who have done that in the past.

Michael Boulding: The English footballer played as a forward and winger in many English clubs including the likes of Sheffield United, Barnsley, Cardiff City and Mansfield Town. Boulding played professional tennis until the age of 22, peaking at No. 1,119 in the world.

Paolo Maldini: The second name in this list is the Italian legend Paolo Maldini. Along with being one of the greatest defenders in the history of football, Maldini also played tennis and eventually qualified for the Aspina Tennis Cup with his tennis partner Stefano Landonio. It was an ATP Challenger Tour. However, their journey was short, as they got eliminated in the first round and never played at the professional level.

Santiago Canizares: The former Spanish footballer played as a goalkeeper in clubs like Real Madrid, Valencia and Celta. Canizares also represented his national team 46 times. After retirement, the Spanish goalkeeper took up tennis and played competitively but never played in ATP-level tournaments. However, Canizares is currently a Rally Driver, and in 2017, he got his first victory.