He grew up in Montevideo and credits his tough upbringing to shaping the player he is today. My dad instilled this in me," Valverde said in an interview with Uefa last year. Valverde has played on some of the best pitches in the world, but it was not always like that when he was a child. Former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha felt Valverde was the difference between the two sides. "Valverde has been incredible in attack and defence," he said.

Source: BBC March 12, 2026 00:01 UTC