Call me Cristiano Valverde!

The leadership qualities displayed by Federico Valverde, along with his scoring efficiency, remind many of Cristiano Ronaldo.

At the Bernabeu, during the first half-hour of the match against Elche, Real Madrid maintained the intensity of the game thanks to the relentless enthusiasm of Brahim Diaz and Thiago Pitarch, a fearless player whom Thierry Henry praised and admitted "not knowing how to spell his name." He never showed fatigue and was always ready to support the attacking play.

Arbeloa's team did not let themselves be affected by emotions after the match, but they also couldn't find enough rhythm to trouble goalkeeper Dituro. Until Valverde appeared. Once again. Vinicius touched the ball during a two-man free-kick combination, Valverde unleashed a thunderous shot. Dituro panicked and blocked it. Brahim seized the opportunity, Pedrosa headed the clearance to Rudiger, who volleyed the ball into the net without letting it bounce.

After the goal, the most wonderful thing the audience witnessed up to that point was the celebration. The German player received a series of shoulder pats, the kind of pats he is famous for giving to others. Rudiger responded by mimicking Valverde's celebration, with a clenched right fist.

The Uruguayan player's first shot created chaos for Rudiger to open the scoring. The second shot, just five minutes later, went straight into the net. He received the ball at the edge of the penalty area, pretended to shoot with his left foot, cut inside, and then curled the ball into the top corner with his right instep. Valverde is currently flourishing. Many Madridistas call him "Cristiano Valverde" to compare him with Cristiano Ronaldo—the club's highest scorer in history.

Valverde scored 5 goals in 3 consecutive matches. One must look back to October 2022 to witness a similar streak, also in La Liga, when Carlo Ancelotti positioned him as a right forward in a 4-3-3 formation. That was also the season he scored a record 12 goals. Moreover, this 27-year-old player has contributed to 19 goals in 40 matches for Real Madrid this season across all competitions—7 goals and 12 assists. He has never achieved such numbers in a single season with "Los Blancos." Notably, these figures emerged in a season where Valverde initially struggled to find his place in Xabi Alonso's lineup.

After the 3-0 win against Man City, Arbeloa called "Valverde is the Juanito of the 21st century," intending to praise the spirit and fiery heart in his play. With the goal against Elche, Arbeloa declared: "At this rate, Valverde will also become Hugo Sanchez. What Fede is doing is truly amazing, with the freedom he possesses."