25-year-old Federico Valverde will be key if La Celeste are to make it to the 2024 Copa America final
Some players’ impact on a football match is difficult to quantify. Fans often look to goals and assists for attacking players, or saves and clean sheets for goalkeepers. The bits in between are more nuanced, and it gets even trickier when a player can do a bit of everything.
Indeed, some footballers just need to be watched to be fully appreciated. Such is the case with Federico Valverde. The Uruguay captain spent his young days as the next Steven Gerrard, then he was an elite goal-scoring winger. Now, he doesn’t do much that ends up on a stat sheet. He is not the attacking force that he was supposed to be. But that’s by no means a bad thing.
Instead, Valverde has undergone the most selfless of switches, sacrificing his natural attacking instincts with a view of doing all of the less glamorous stuff in between. He doesn’t score much, while his assisting numbers are agreeable – but not stellar.
For this Uruguay team, though his impact is immense. Valverde is the beating heart of the midfield, happy to tackle, intercept, pass and move. Marcelo Bielsa loves chaos, and Valverde embodies it.
And ahead of La Celeste’s Copa America semifinal against Colombia Wednesday night in Charlotte, N.C. – a game that will likely be defined by its frenetic play – the 25-year-old captain has a chance to not only take his team a step closer to silverware, but also earn some of the respect he deserves as a footballer.
Source link : https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/federico-valverde-has-gone-from-real-madrid-s-unsung-hero-to-uruguay-s-undeniable-talisman/bltb41f2f7dc710e15f
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Publish date : 2024-07-11 03:00:00
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