DIEGO FORLAN is best known to fans around the world for banging goals in during his brilliant 21-year playing career.

But now aged 45, the former striker has traded free-kicks for forehands as he competes on tennis' ITF Tour.

The former Manchester United star hung up his boots in 2019, following a spell in Hong Kong with Kitchee.

He has since gone into managing, with spells managing Penarol and Atenas in his native Uruguay.

In addition to coaching, Forlan has also taken up tennis in his retirement.

This week, the former striker travelled to Peru to play in an ITF MT1000 event in Lima.

Forlan is competing in the 45+ category, and has gone on quite a run.

He defeated Chilean Gonzalo Carreno 6-0, 6-2 in round one, before overcoming Peruvian Jorge Hernandez for the loss of just one game in round two.

The iconic ex-striker then battled past Pablo Rojas-Holch 6-3, 6-3 to book a quarter-final with Brazilian Antonio Amaro da Silva Filho.

This isn't the first time that Forlan has competed in tennis.