Uruguay's Valverde looking to use Madrid frustration as motivation for Spain clash

[p]Crouched down with his head bowed, the Celeste captain, 27, made no attempt to hide his disappointment in Miami on Sunday after his team drew 2-2 with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cape-verde/MocyWdm7/"]Cape Verde[/a].[/p][p]Yet another setback, adding to the "frustration" and "anger" felt by the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/real-madrid/W8mj7MDD/"]Real Madrid[/a] midfielder after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/uruguay/xMk44orG/"]Uruguay[/a]'s underwhelming performance in their opening match against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/saudi-arabia/biSY8ox4/"]Saudi Arabia[/a].[/p][p][b]The Celeste, led by Argentine Marcelo Bielsa, can nevertheless rely on his physical prowess and powerful long-range shot. But [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/valverde-federico/nscfER6B/"]Valverde[/a] (75 caps, nine goals), playing in his second World Cup after 2022, has so far failed to find the net with his rare attempts on goal.[/b][/p][p]His World Cup performances have continued the trend of a season to forget with Real: no silverware, managerial disruption, and an altercation in early May with Frenchman [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tchouameni-aurelien/QkiZum3e/"]Aurelien Tchouameni[/a] that left him with a head injury and forced him to miss the end of the season.[/p][embed guid="db57e99a-8c37-4d65-b667-06444173cdcb" url="https://x.com/FIFAWorldCup/status/2066686044230082760" social-type="twitter" /][p]A two-time Champions League winner, 'Pajarito' (little bird), had actually started the season in good form, even wearing the captain's armband several times in the absence of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/olmo-dani/2oVBOlPg/"]Dani Carvajal[/a].[/p][p]His eight seasons at Madrid and his versatility have made him one of the most experienced players in the squad, and he was a key figure for former coach [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alonso-xabi/hAcTWKKN/"]Xabi Alonso[/a].[/p][h2]Hat-trick against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"]Manchester City[/a][/h2][p]But, without [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alexander-arnold-trent/CEVJy6Bc/"]Trent Alexander-Arnold[/a] and Dani Carvajal, Xabi Alonso moved the midfielder to right-back. A position Valverde did not enjoy, leading to friction between the two men - so much so that, according to some observers, he was partly responsible for the coach's departure in January.[/p][p]With Alexander-Arnold back, Valverde returned to his best, scoring a hat-trick in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 against Manchester City.[/p][p][b]"It doesn't matter where you play him. He's the Juanito of the 21st century. Everything a Real Madrid player dreams of being, that's Fede Valverde,"[/b] praised interim coach [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/arbeloa-alvaro/CO9bjrLo/"]Alvaro Arbeloa[/a], comparing him to the Merengue icon of the 1970s and 80s.[/p][image alt="Valverde 2025/26 La Liga stats" id="01b62f6d-56a8-4a1d-b0d5-1f3e15b20e66" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Sam Navarro" guid="2818264e-2f8b-48b1-a9c0-0cba5872ce76" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]Valverde had hoped to clear his head with Uruguay. Instead, he and his teammates now find themselves up against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/spain/bLyo6mco/"]Spain[/a], the reigning European champions. [/p][p]In a rare occurrence for a Spain match, if [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cucurella-marc/QTynbZd3/"]Marc Cucurella[/a] hadn't signed for Real Madrid last week, the Uruguayan playmaker would have been the only representative of the club on the pitch.[/p][p]Valverde will be aiming to guide Uruguay to a crucial victory, which would confirm their spot in the knockout stages.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/spain-bLyo6mco/uruguay-xMk44orG/?mid=8xM154oS"]Follow Uruguay vs Spain with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p][infobox id="4ccc1b10-d68f-4c97-bcf4-5e613c17c2e3" /]