Not as flashy as Vinicius Jr., nor as flamboyant as Kylian Mbappe, the Uruguayan midfielder is loved for his energetic, tenacious style of football, always playing as if it were the last game of his life.
He is a symbol of a new kind of fighting spirit at Real Madrid. It is this very personality that makes Valverde the perfect piece alongside Casemiro, Luka Modric, and Toni Kroos in their 2022 Champions League victory.
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Valverde is a role model for Real's fighting spirit. |
In 2024, he continued to make a significant contribution to Real Madrid's 15th Champions League title. When Kroos handed over his jersey, the German legend told Valverde: "Number 8 is for you. You are the best."
However, two years later, Real's disastrous season put Valverde in a position where he had to "explode".
Real Madrid's disastrous season.
Valverde has been both the central figure in memorable moments, such as his hat-trick against Man City in the Champions League play-off round, and the subject of numerous controversies, from the incident with Xabi Alonso to the two clashes with Tchouameni during a tense week at Valdebebas.
Real Madrid's 2025/26 season resembled a pressure cooker that had been under pressure for too long. Consecutive defeats, pressure from the Madrid media, and a toxic atmosphere in the dressing room caused things to gradually spiral out of control.
And Valverde, with his fiery personality like a gasoline tank catching fire, became the clearest reflection of that chaos.
After the defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup at the King Abdullah Stadium in Jeddah, Valverde flew into a rage in the dressing room and smashed a coffee machine.
Following the incident, as captain, he accepted responsibility for his actions. But that was the first title that slipped from Real's grasp in a season that had just begun to be in crisis.
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The Real Madrid captain is known for his intense and fiery personality. |
Things continued to deteriorate when Valverde became embroiled in rumors of a conflict with Alonso after his statement: "I wasn't born to play full-back." Although the Uruguayan midfielder later clarified the situation, the repercussions lingered as a silent rift in the dressing room.
And then the brawl with Tchouameni caused everything to explode.
When everything explodes after compression.
The real concern isn't the punch or Valverde's hospitalization for a head injury. What hurts Real Madrid more is the feeling that the team is losing the identity that helped them dominate Europe for so many years.
Real Madrid has always had strong personalities, but in the past they also possessed leaders capable of keeping the dressing room stable, extinguishing any sparks of conflict as soon as they emerged.
But now, the Bernabeu resembles a place where anger can freely erupt, even from someone like Valverde, who wears the captain's armband.
Many immediately recalled the previous altercation between Valverde and Alex Baena. At that time, the Uruguayan midfielder accused Baena of insulting his unborn child and allegedly punched his opponent in the Bernabeu parking lot.
Although the incident ended without punishment, it further highlighted Valverde's intense personality, especially when it came to his family.
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The other strong personalities in the dressing room were like tinder for Valverde. |
Valverde is not a bad person. Those who have followed him for many years understand that this midfielder always lives by his intense emotions.
But top-level football doesn't operate on pure emotion. When Real's captain is repeatedly involved in conflicts, it signals that the entire system is seriously fractured.
Ironically, Valverde remains one of the few players who have retained a true fighting spirit at Real this season. He scores goals, runs tirelessly, and has saved the team from danger on numerous occasions.
But sometimes, it is those who are overly emotional who are most likely to explode when things around them start to go wrong.
Real Madrid may well overcome this disastrous season with the resilience of a team with a rich tradition. Because they always know how to bounce back after a crisis.
But what happened to Valverde shows that the empire is more deeply wounded than people realize. This time, the crack lies in the very dressing room that was once the greatest pride of the Royal team.
Source: https://znews.vn/tinh-cach-cua-valverde-nhu-mot-kho-xang-post1649928.html
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