Federico Valverde
Federico Valverde is 28 years old in 2026, born on 22 July 1998. Uruguay Midfielder for Real Madrid.
| Appearances | 3 |
| Goals | 0 |
| Assists | 1 |
| Yellow Cards | 0 |
| Red Cards | — |
| Goals / Match | 0.00 |
📖 Federico Valverde: Biography & Story
El Pajarito: Real Madrid's unstoppable Uruguayan engine.
Federico Valverde, "El Pajarito" (The Little Bird), though there is nothing small about his game, is one of the most complete midfielders in European football. He combines the defensive intensity of a holding midfielder with the driving runs and shooting power of a box-to-box player, and the technical quality to link play in tight spaces.
He joined Real Madrid at 19 in 2016 but spent two years on loan at Deportivo de La Coruña and then Oviedo before breaking into the first team permanently. Since then he has become indispensable, often the player who does the defensive work that allows Bellingham and Modric to express themselves fully.
His Champions League performances have been particularly celebrated. His last-ditch tackle to prevent Mbappé scoring in the 2022 final (when PSG faced Madrid in the Bernabéu) is one of the most famous defensive moments in recent UCL history. He is also one of the most powerful shooters in the squad, with several long-range goals to his name.
🗺️ Career Journey
Childhood club in Montevideo
Uruguay's most famous club; Madrid scouted him here
Joined at 19; two loans before becoming first-team regular from 2019
Regular football in La Liga
More game time in second division Spain
🏆 Honours & Achievements
👨👩👦 Personal Life & Family
Federico Valverde was born on 22 July 1998 in Montevideo, Uruguay. His father Julio Valverde was also a professional footballer, giving Federico football in his DNA from the earliest age. He grew up supporting Club Nacional de Football and joined their youth academy, before Peñarol, Uruguay's other great club, signed him. His technical quality and physical intensity caught Real Madrid's attention when he was still a teenager.
Federico Valverde is married to Mina Bonino, an Argentine sports journalist and television presenter. They married in 2022 and have a son, Luka Valverde, born in 2022. He has spoken about how becoming a father has given him a new perspective and additional motivation. The family divide their time between Madrid and Uruguay. His father Julio remains a close confidant.
💡 Did You Know?: Federico Trivia
His nickname "El Pajarito" (The Little Bird) was given to him as a teenager and has stuck throughout his career despite his enormous physical presence on the pitch.
His father Julio Valverde was also a professional footballer: one of several father-son combinations at Real Madrid's training ground in recent years.
He married Argentine TV presenter Mina Bonino in 2022. Their relationship is one of the most followed in Spanish celebrity circles.
He made a legendary last-ditch tackle to stop Mbappé in a crucial Champions League match: showing the defensive discipline that often gets overlooked behind his offensive contributions.
He is one of the most technically gifted Uruguayan midfielders since Álvaro Recoba in the late 1990s.
Federico Valverde is a midfielder for Real Madrid. Add them to your Fantasy XI within a 100-credit budget and score from their real match stats.
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