Valverde Bids Farewell to a Difficult Season Amid Real Madrid Crises and World Cup Disappointment

Federico Valverde ended the 2025/2026 season far from expectations, concluding his journey with the Uruguay national team by exiting the World Cup, marking the end of a year that witnessed many crises both technically and personally on the field.

The Spanish newspaper "Mundo Deportivo" reported that the Uruguayan midfielder's struggles began with Real Madrid, after failing to reach a full understanding with coach Xabi Alonso, who alternated his role between right-back and midfielder, leading to a disagreement between the two parties.

The newspaper added that things improved after Álvaro Arbeloa took over the technical leadership, as Valverde regained part of his form and experienced the highlight of his season when he scored a hat-trick against Manchester City in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16, in a night that gave Real Madrid fans great hope.

However, this brilliance did not last long, as Valverde returned to the center of controversy after an altercation with his teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni, an incident that increased the pressure surrounding him. There were also rumors about the possibility of his departure from Real Madrid.

The report indicated that the player's struggles extended to the Uruguay national team after he got into a dispute with the head coach, Marcelo Bielsa, who substituted him before the 60th minute during the match against Spain in the last round of the group stage, in a decision considered a clear message from the coach.

Uruguay's exit from the World Cup marked the end of one of the toughest seasons in Valverde's professional career, who is now required to learn from this year's lessons to avoid repeating them in the future.