You can’t plan for a team leader or a star player – they naturally emerge in the moments when the team needs them the most. Federico Valverde is someone whose entire career at Real Madrid has unfolded quietly. He arrived from Penarol for a modest 5 millions in July 2016 and was registered for Castilla. At the time, no one at the Santiago Bernabeu could have imagined that this would turn out to be perhaps the club’s best market move of the past decade.He started playing under Julen Lopetegui, became more regular under Zinedine Zidane, and secured an irreplaceable role under Carlo Ancelotti. The legendary Italian’s style of giving players the freedom to earn their roles on the pitch suited Valverde perfectly.🚨 Fede Valverde played several games injured and still feels some discomfort, but he didn’t want to let the team down.The dressing room truly value his commitment. @relevo pic.twitter.com/Kb10GMLjU5— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) April 21, 2025 Valverde is the kind of player for whom it’s hard to define a primary position—except to say he’s a midfielder. There’s a school of thought among football experts that Valverde is a Real Madrid player made for Atletico Madrid, because of his energy, work rate, attitude, and character. On the other hand, one must wonder whether Cholo Simeone would have tried to restrict him—and players like Valverde should never be denied the freedom on the pitch that Ancelotti has given him.The Uruguayan won over the Santiago Bernabeu crowd with stunning goals, like the one he scored last night in stoppage time against Athletic Bilbao, which kept Madrid in the race for the league title with Barcelona. The general feeling is that Valverde doesn’t even know how to score an ordinary goal—not just because of his powerful right foot, but because he often finds himself finishing plays from the second line, taking shots from difficult positions that most players wouldn’t even attempt.🚨🇪🇸 GOAL | Real Madrid 1-0 Athletic Club | ValverdeWHAT A FANTASTIC GOAL FROM VALVERDE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!pic.twitter.com/ZbAoLm0EDx— Tekkers Foot (@tekkersfoot) April 20, 2025 The importance of Valverde to Real Madrid is underscored by the fact that this is his third consecutive season playing over 50 matches for the club. His most impressive season so far was 2022/23, when he scored 12 goals and made seven assists in 56 appearances. Yet this season, he stands out as the brightest spot in the squad, often carrying the team on his back. This is reflected in the numbers too—Valverde has, for the first time in his professional career, registered eight assists in one season. He has also scored more goals and is within reach of matching his 12-goal tally from 2022/23.Football authorities in Spain already see him as a future captain of Real Madrid and a natural successor to Luka Modric, Dani Carvajal, and Lucas Vazquez. Once again, all of it is unfolding quietly, just as it has before. He has earned the trust of both fans and teammates through his performances on the pitch, so wearing the captain’s armband will be nothing more than a logical next step at the Santiago Bernabeu.Novak Djokovic’s reaction to Fede Valverde’s goal. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/DRUw2vK0DW— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) April 20, 2025 Last night, Valverde played his 51st match in what has been a turbulent season for Madrid, one that has long seemed destined to end in disappointment. The gap to Barcelona is still wide, and everything may come down to El Clasico, scheduled for May 11 at Montjuic. Real Madrid has already missed out on the Spanish Super Cup and exited the Champions League at the quarterfinal stage. The UEFA Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup serve as some consolation, but quite a weak one if they also lose the La Liga title and the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona on April 26 in Seville.Mbappé enjoyed that Valverde golazo 😁🚀🎥 IG/jcairetaserra pic.twitter.com/EjTZD1VQ3t— 433 (@433) April 21, 2025 If Real Madrid ends the season without either of those remaining trophies, even Valverde’s outstanding individual season could be overshadowed. Still, the Uruguayan appears motivated and eager to deliver a few more memorable moments to the footballing world—and it wouldn’t be surprising if one of those moments ends up being enough to secure at least one more consolation trophy this season.LA LIGA – MATCHDAY 32FridayEspanyol – Getafe 1-0 (1-0)/Kumbulla 39/SaturdayRayo Vallecano – Valencia 1-1 (1-0)/Tarrega 45 og – Sadiq 75/Barcelona – Celta 4-3 (1-1)/Torres 12, Olmo 64, Raphinha 68, 90+7(p) – Iglesias 15, 52, 62/Mallorca – Leganes 0-0Las Palmas – Atl. Madrid 1-0 (0-0)/Munoz 90+3/SundayValladolid – Osasuna 2-3 (0-2)/Moro 49, Sylla 66(p) – Garcia 34, Budimir 9, 60 (p)/Villareal – Sociedad 2-2 (1-1)/Pino 7, Perez 60 – Oyrazabal 19, 49 (p)/Sevilla – Alaves 1-1 (1-1)/Fernandez 12 – Garcia 45+2/Real Madrid – Ath.Bilbao 1-0 (0-0)/Valverde 90+3/Monday22:00: (2.95) Girona (3.40) Betis (2.55)***odds are subject to change***
