A Real Madrid star has brutally reflected on how he perceived himself as a younger player, where he thought he was Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo rolled into one.
Real Madrid are capable of signing the biggest stars in world football for huge amounts of money, which often comes with the by-product of inflated egos - even in young players.
For Federico Valverde - ranked at no.3 in FourFourTwo's list of the best central midfielders in the world right now - signing for Los Blancos as a 17-year-old in 2016 saw his confidence rise exponentially. The Uruguayan had only played 13 games in total for his boyhood side Penarol, but make the move to Madrid made him wrongly believe in his own self-importance.
Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde calls his younger self a 'punk'
"I can tell you the exact moment when I realized that I was a punk," Valverde said on The Player's Tribune. "Listen, you have to understand something. Really imagine that you are me for a second. You are 17 years old. Two years ago, you were sleeping in the sandwich bed on the floor. Now you’re signing for Real Madrid? Man, how can you not become delusional?
"When I came to Madrid, I thought that I was Messi and Cristiano in one body. Hahahah! Seriously! In my defence, when you are 17, you have no clue how dumb you really are, especially if they give you a little bit of money and praise. That combination is a hell of a drug."
Valverde highlights how he quickly came crashing back down to earth, with the Real Madrid reserve side giving him a reality check after just one day.
"I got my wakeup call really quick," Valverde said. "My first training session with Real Madrid Castilla, I came into the dressing room like I was walking on clouds. I was so confident. Vamos. I don’t even remember anything about training. It was a blur. But I do remember afterward, everybody was getting dressed, and I’m looking around, taking it all in… and then I actually start noticing what everybody is wearing.
"Gucci belts. Brand new Nikes. No scuffs. Louis Vuitton wallets. Louis Vuitton toilet bags. Remember, this is not even the legends! We are not talking about Benzema and Modric and Marcelo! These are the kids!
"I had this realization, like a thunderbolt: 'Oh s***, Fede. You’re wearing a two euro T-shirt'. For me, Zara was expensive. In Uruguay, if you’re wearing some Zara, you’re a boss. I’m looking around seeing guys wearing watches that cost more than my parents’ house back home. It all hit me, in one moment: 'There’s levels to this game, you punk! You’re nobody!'"
Since that realisation, Valverde has established himself as a key player for Real Madrid, winning three La Liga titles and two Champions League crowns.
While superstars like Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe steal the headlines, Valverde quietly goes about his business in an efficient and highly effective manner.
