Federico Valverde: Life, Clubs, Career and Stats

Federico Santiago Valverde Dipetta, commonly known as Fede Valverde is currently one of the best midfielders in the footballing world. The young Uruguayan currently plays as a midfielder for one of the biggest clubs in the world, Real Madrid. The talented Real Madrid player is 25 years old and he also represents the Uruguay national team.

Born in Montevideo, Uruguay,  Federico Valverde was always attracted to the game of football from a young age and started playing the game at the tender age of 3.  Today, he is considered as one of the best attacking midfielders in the world. Let us take a look at his bio. 

Federico Valverde Bio: 

Full Name: Federico Santiago Valverde Dipetta

Date of Birth: 22 July, 1998

Place of Birth: Montevideo, Uruguay

Professional Debut: 2015

Jersey Number: 15

Position: Midfielder

Federico Valverde: Early Years

Born on 22 July 1998, in Union, a neighborhood in Montevideo, Federico Valverde had humble beginnings in a small but loving family. The midfielder has an older brother called Diego and two stepbrothers called Pablo and Mattias. Growing up the young Fede was fascinated by football and he soon joined Estudiantes de la Union, a club close to his house. From there the midfielder’s journey began as he trained at the club for a few years before trying out for Penarol in 2008.

The trial was successful as Federico Valverde was scouted and selected by Uruguayan football legend Nestor Goncalves. Fede spent his youth career at Penarol and made a quick impression on all of his fans. The midfielder made his way through the system and was promoted through all youth teams before he finally reached the senior team of Penarol at the age of 17.

Penarol (2015-16)

Fede made his debut for the senior team of Penarol at the age of 17 in 2015. Interestingly, his debut for Penarol was on 23rd July, just a day after his 17th birthday. However, his league debut came on 16th August 2015 against Cerro. That season, the youngster made 12 appearances for Penarol in the league before he attracted interest from Spanish giants Real Madrid. 

His performances in various youth divisions also earned him a call-up to the Uruguay U-15, U-18 and U-20 sides. Fede displayed his attacking abilities early on as he scored an impressive 23 goals for the youth Uruguayan sides. 

Also Read: Vinicius Junior: Life, Clubs, Career and Stats

Federico Valverde: From Penarol to Real Madrid (2016-)

Real Madrid B: (2016-17)

When a young Fede arrived at Real Madrid, he was initially integrated into the Real Madrid Castilla side in July of 2016. The midfielder slowly gained importance under Santiago Solari and went on to play 30 games in the league for the Real Madrid B side. In that campaign, Valverde even scored three goals for Castilla. His performances were closely monitored by the Real Madrid manager and his talent made him a sure-shot prospect for the future. 

However, as the transfer window approached, the management believed that the youngster was in need of some more experience and sent him out on a one-year loan to Deportivo La Coruna in the transfer window ahead of the 2017/18 campaign. 

Deportivo La Coruna (2017-18 Loan)

Having narrowly escaped relegation in the previous season, Deportivo La Coruna hoped to approach the next season with caution by signing players to reinforce the midfield. In a bid to do that, they managed to sign a year-long loan deal for the highly talented Federico Valverde. At Deportivo, the Uruguayan was integrated into the side with smoothness and he even went on to make 24 appearances for the club in the season. His performances gave Deportivo an outside chance of avoiding relegation, but ultimately the historic club was eliminated from the league at the end of the season. 

With the end of his abysmal journey at Deportivo, Federico Valverde returned to Real Madrid and found himself finally contending for a spot in the playing XI of the European giants. 

Real Madrid (2018-)

First season at home (18/19)

After signing with Los Blancos way back in 2016, Federico Valverde finally arrived and became part of the first team dynamics at the club in 2018. As the team prepared for the upcoming campaign of 2018/19, Fede began rising the list of names being considered to play in the midfield with each passing week. Finally, the Uruguayan made his debut for Real Madrid on 23 October 2018, when the midfielder came on in the tie against Viktoria Plzen at Santiago Bernabeu. The fans cheered the youngster on as they knew they were witnessing the start of something special.

At just 20 years of age, Federico Valverde managed to make 25 appearances for Los Blancos across competitions in the 18/19 campaign. While Valverde predictably didn’t start many games, his presence on the pitch elevated Real Madrid’s play several times. 

Gaining Importance (2019-21)

Over the course of the 2019/20 and 2020/21 campaigns, Federico Valverde managed to make himself a crucial cog in the midfield of Los Blancos. While the fab three of Real Madrid continued to dominate playtime in the midfield, due to several other departures, Valverde was identified as a perfect replacement. The Uruguayan repaid the management’s faith as he scored his first-ever goal for the club against Eibar in La Liga on 9 November 2019. The 19/20 campaign saw Valverde score another goal in La Liga while the midfielder also assisted three further goals in Real Madrid’s impressive Spanish championship victory. 

As Real Madrid returned for the 2020/21 campaign as reigning Spanish champions, Federico Valverde seemed determined to break several records. He started the season by scoring against Real Betis in the league and followed it up with a stunning goal against arch-rivals FC Barcelona in the El Classico. Unfortunately, his campaign was derailed a bit by a couple of injuries causing him to spend time on the sidelines. His absence certainly hurt Los Blancos.

The Heart of Real Madrid’s midfield (2021-Present)

As the unbreakable trio of Real Madrid in the midfield started slowly fading away, the young Federico Valverde continued inching closer to becoming the number-one choice in the midfield. In a gesture to prove his importance to Los Blancos, the midfielder was even offered a fantastic deal which the Uruguayan signed on 24 August 2021 extending his contract at the club till 2027. While Fede struggled to collect many goal contributions that season, it was his pass to Vinicius Junior which saw Los Blancos score against Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League 2022 Final aiding the club to a historic title and a 1-0 victory on the night. 

Over the last two campaigns, following Madrid’s iconic 14 UCL winning season, Valverde has gone from being a regular feature to a permanent starter for Los Blancos. His importance in the midfield cannot be overstated as he aids the smooth progression of the ball and is also a great option to score goals in difficult moments. In November 2023, impressed by Valverde’s dedication to the club, Real Madrid offered the midfielder another extension till 30 June 2029, which he gladly accepted.

Career and Stats: 

For Club:

Behind the Glitz and Glamour: Fede Valverde’s Personal Life

Federico Valverde is a very private person and usually likes to keep his family away from the media. He is currently dating Argentinian journalist and presenter Mina Bonino. The couple have two children, namely, Benicio and Bautista. Benicio was born in 2020, while Bautista was born last year in 2023. 

Federico Valverde also boasts a pretty happy relationship with his family including his parents, brother, and step-brothers. His family can be often seen cheering him on in big games, both for the nation and the club. 

Federico Valverde Net Worth: 

As of 2024, Federico Valverde’s net worth is considered to be around $22 million. The Uruguayan also takes home a whopping $5 million home yearly as salary at Real Madrid. Meanwhile, he is also the brand ambassador for a few companies further boosting Federico Valverde net worth. At the age of 25, Valverde has already amassed a small empire and he will definitely look to build on that as years pass by. 

FAQs about Federico Valverde:

Q) Is Federico Valverde related to Ernesto Valverde?

–    While both Federico Valverde and Ernesto Valverde share the same surname, the two are absolutely not related to each other. Fede Valverde is a Real Madrid player, while Ernesto Valverde is the current coach of Athletic Bilbao.

Q) Is Federico Valverde a defensive midfielder? 

–   Federico Valverde is primarily a central midfielder who is sometimes also deployed as an attacking midfielder or even on the right wing as a winger. He can also play as a defensive midfielder as he has displayed in the past. 

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