When Federico Valverde is on the pitch, he becomes more than just a footballer; he becomes the talisman of modern minefield dominance. From a grassroots level in Uruguay to becoming one of the best box-to-box midfielders in modern-day football, Valverde’s biography is full of resilience and hard work.
He has established himself as a relentless force who is capable of changing the course of a match with a single, thunderous long-range shot or a lung-bursting run from deep. The 2024-25 season was quite good for the “El Halcon”, a nickname given to Valverde by the Madridistas.
Since the last season under Carlo Ancelotti, Fede Valverde has often been deployed as the right back, as Real Madrid’s longest serving player and an academy graduate, Dani Carvajal, was suffering through an ACL tear. Being a right back, and as an engine in Real Madrid’s lineup, El Halacon played a total of 65 games, and scored 11 goals and provided 5 assists.
Carlo Ancelotti and Xabi Alonso share a huge respect for Federico Valverde's versatility, but their tactical approaches are significantly different. Ancelotti operates with a skeptical philosophy, which is flexible and allows players like Valverde the freedom to simplify their role based on the flow of the game. He has utilized Valverde in a variety of positions, from a central midfielder to a right-back or even a winger, viewing him as an irreplaceable and complete player who can perfectly cover any position.
Xabi Alonso’s tactics are more based on quick passing and quick counter formation than positional-based football. While he also recognizes Valverde's versatility, famously comparing him to Liverpool's former talismanic midfielder Steven Gerrard for his physical presence and ability to play anywhere, he is currently deploying him in a more defined midfield role, often as part of a double pivot. Alonso's system relies on Valverde's ability to operate in a specific shape, from a slightly deeper position, using his physical power to accelerate through and arrive in attacking positions, rather than acting as a fluid.
Federico Valverde's playing style is defined by his incredible energy, versatility, and powerful attacking presence. He is a true box-to-box midfielder, meaning he can tirelessly run from his own penalty area to the opponent's. His biggest strengths are his stamina, his powerful long-range shots, and his ability to carry the ball forward with great speed and strength.
He is a perfect fit for Spanish manager Xabi Alonso's tactics because Alonso's system is built on disciplined positional play and controlling the game from a deeper position. Alonso wants his midfielders to maintain a specific shape, but also to make quick, vertical runs to attack. Valverde's ability to start from a slightly deeper position and then accelerate through the lines with the ball, or time a late run into the box, makes him the ideal player for this role. He provides the perfect balance of defensive discipline and explosive attacking power that is essential to Alonso's strategy. In terms of love life, Federico Valverde has a girlfriend and her name is Mina Bonino.