Federico Valverde won Man of the Match for a deliberate red card
In the 2020 Supercopa final, Atlético's Álvaro Morata raced clean through on goal. Real Madrid's Federico Valverde chased him down and fouled him on purpose, taking a red card. The goal never came, Madrid won on penalties, and Valverde collected the Man of the Match award, with Atlético's coach calling it the decisive play.
Born in Montevideo's Unión district on 22 July 1998, Valverde is of Spanish and Italian descent. After starting at his local club, he was scouted for Peñarol and made his senior debut in August 2015, mentored by his boyhood idol Diego Forlán, winning the Uruguayan league in his first season. Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea were interested, but in July 2016 he joined Real Madrid.
He began in the reserve side, Castilla, then spent a season on loan at Deportivo de La Coruña, who were relegated. Manager Julen Lopetegui kept him in the first team afterwards, and he debuted in October 2018 at 20. Under Zinedine Zidane he became a key player; he scored within five minutes at Camp Nou in October 2020, becoming the first Uruguayan to score for Madrid in El Clásico, and in the 2022 Champions League final he set up Vinícius Júnior's winner against Liverpool.
Carlo Ancelotti predicted he would score more than 10 goals in 2022–23; Valverde managed 12. A first-time volley against Manchester City in April 2024 was voted Goal of the Season, he inherited Toni Kroos's number 8 shirt, and on 11 March 2026 he scored his first career hat-trick, again against City. By then vice-captain, he has since become captain. His honours at Madrid include two Champions League titles and three league championships.
Once nicknamed Pajarito, or baby bird, he now prefers Halcón, falcon, to reflect how he has grown. For Uruguay he scored on his senior debut against Paraguay in 2017, has played three Copa Américas, helping win bronze in 2024, and appeared at the 2022 and 2026 World Cups.
Source: Federico Valverde
