Diego Forlan: Forget Inter v Milan and Atletico v Real Madrid, for me, Penarol v Nacional is ultimate derby

Our columnist has been a part of the best rivalries throughout Europe, but ranks the Montevideo derby between Penarol v Nacional as the best in the world for obvious reasons.

Penarol fans in Uruguay celebrate a goal in the 79th minute against Nacional during their derby match in Montevideo on Sunday. The match ended in a 1-1 draw and Penarol stayed atop the table. Andres Stapff / ReutersShow less

Diego Forlan writes a weekly column for The National, appearing each Friday. The former Manchester United, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid striker has been the top scorer in Europe twice and won the Golden Boot at the 2010 World Cup. Forlan’s column is written with the assistance of European football correspondent Andy Mitten.

On Sunday, I played in a game that I’ve been dreaming of playing in all my life: Penarol v Nacional. Uruguay is a country of only three million people, but the Montevideo derby, between our two biggest clubs, is one of the best in the world. A study a couple of years ago rated it third, behind Boca Junior-River Plate and Barcelona-Real Madrid.

This derby, in my home city, has been a big part of my life. As a child, I could be a hero in class, because my father had played for Penarol. If Penarol had beaten Nacional everyone wanted to be my friend. However, if Nacional won, life was difficult, even though my dad had stopped playing for Penarol. There are other clubs in Uruguay which should be respected, but everyone in the country favours either Penarol or Nacional.

I started going to games to support Penarol as a child and went to matches with my friends until I moved away to Argentina at the start of my career. Even there, I always wanted to come back and watch the derby. My friends carried on going to games, even to away matches in the Libertadores Cup.

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In 1999, I was a fringe player for Independiente, in Argentina, largely playing in the reserves. I checked for my name on the first-team sheet every week and wanted to be in the team. Most weeks I was not.

There was one exception. In November that year, my cousin was getting married in Montevideo on the same weekend as the derby. I desperately wanted to attend the wedding and the derby as Penarol were going to win the league. The key player was Pablo Bengoechea, my current coach at Penarol. For the first time in my life, I did not want to be picked for the first team, and I did not think I would be because I was not a regular.

I approached the noticeboard nervously. Guess what? My name was on the sheet. I missed the wedding (my cousin is still married, with two beautiful daughters) and I missed the derby. Ever since then, I have been playing around the world. I have not been to watch a single derby match, though I have watched almost all of them on television.

And so to last Sunday. Penarol are top of the league, two points clear of Nacional. The season is coming to end, with only three games left. Nacional needed to win. The famous Centenario stadium was full, around 60,000 fans, with 20,000 away fans spread over three tiers. In Europe, you maybe get 3,000 away fans at games. In Montevideo away fans are out in force; an entire stand singing.

Centenario may be open, with only a small roof on one stand, but the atmosphere is quite incredible. Supporters are not allowed flares any more, but the songs and the flags, the non-stop noise, is amazing. Come to Uruguay to see it for yourself, you will not be disappointed.

The fans start entering the stadiums four hours before kick off because the two teams’ reserve sides play against each other first. So that game starts with around 10,000 people watching, hoping to see the stars of the future, and ends with almost 60,000 people watching a reserve game. Then the real game starts.

The hairs stood up on the back of my neck as I walked out. I have played in some great games around the world: Manchester United v Liverpool and Manchester City, Atletico Madrid v Real Madrid, Inter Milan v AC Milan, Internacional v Gremio. They are all incredible, but I am home now. These are my people, my friends, my family; these are the people I care most about and I had the ability to change their mood, just as my father did all those years ago. It is a big responsibility. The game dominates the media for weeks before, everyone talks about it. Go to the shop or the petrol station and people talk to you about it. They all have their own opinion, their own perfect team; they are all the manager, they care. I love this feeling for football because I feel the same.

I was desperate not to walk out of the Centenario feeling sad. Besides, if Nacional, the eternal rival of Penarol, won they would go top. That would be a disaster for us, for me in my first season here, which I am enjoying so much.

I am playing just behind the strikers, though I have scored three goals myself. I might be Uruguayan but these are my first days in the league here. I have had to adapt to the league, it is not easy but I have really enjoyed it.

Sunday was the biggest test. I received a yellow card after eight minutes. Then Nacional scored after 43 minutes. It was not a good first half, but in the 79th minute, my teammate Matias Aguirregaray scored the equaliser, a big moment for the team. The game finished 1-1, and we stayed top.

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