Real Madrid have so many standout young players who don’t just show great quality on the football pitch, but they are also leaders who play with passion. They know what it means to be a Madridista, putting everything they possibly can into the match.
It is hard to single out just one player as a future captain, but one young man has so much passion and determination that you cannot help but look at that guy and say, “Yes, he will be the man with the armband in five years.”
Fede Valverde plays every match like it is his last. That is the mentality you need to win in the Champions League, especially if you are going up against clubs that have been assembled with a payroll even Real Madrid cannot match.
The Uruguayan was the difference between the first and second legs against PSG. He was underrated and decisive against Chelsea and Manchester City, too. And Fede was downright world-class against Liverpool in the Champions League Final, providing the game-winning assist for Vinicius Jr., in addition to his trademark tracking and running.
Fede Valverde never complained during tough times
Valverde bleeds for the club. Every press conference, every interview, he says the right thing. And when he was on the bench and not trusted to his true quality by an incoming Carlo Ancelotti, he never once complained. He knew who he was sitting behind and what it would take. Valverde was patience and never doubted the importance of his role or the fact that his number would be called.
When it was called, he was ready to take the world on.
Surrounded by a supportive partner and family, Valverde is mature. He is loved by Madridistas, too. The locker room, the fans, they see him as an inspiration and a character who can help make sure the team is capable of turning anything around. Three straight Remontadas? Valverde was a key in each of them.
The seeds of him doing anything to win were planted early. Nobody is forgetting THAT red card in the Supercup vs. Atletico Madrid any time soon.
Want your voice heard? Join the The Real Champs team!
One day, we will call Fede Valverde “Capi”, as we have done with Sergio Ramos and Marcelo. He is next in the lineage when his time arrives and he has the seniority. The Madridismo in him is off the charts.