This Friday’s visit will not be Fede Valverde’s first to Wembley, but it will be a very special one. The Uruguayan, who won the Champions League with Real Madrid at the temple of English football in 2024, will visit the home of the England national team to face his teammate Jude Bellingham. And he will do so at the best moment of his career.

A ‘Little Bird’ who weeks ago became the ‘Falcon’ threatens to devour the Three Lions. Although on paper, England-Uruguay is nothing more than the first of two friendlies both national teams will play this March international break, for Valverde, it will also be a good opportunity to send an important challenge to the Spanish national team.

“He has always been a very outstanding player. In recent matches, he has had a very striking ability to create imbalance, which reveals a new facet of him. He has played in his natural position as an interior midfielder, but he has also solved the team’s needs as a right-back. In this latest version, as a right-winger, he has shown things we had not frequently seen before.

It is very difficult for Valverde to ignore how to resolve situations in almost every area of the field he occupies because he is a very dynamic player. Valverde finds positive answers; whatever he has to do, he is in a position to solve it,” his manager, Marcelo Bielsa, said a few days ago about the white No. 8.

Alvaro Arbeloa has restored the best Fede Valverde, author of seven goals and three assists in his last 10 games with Real Madrid, and now the Uruguayan national team will be the one to benefit. Uruguay, Spain’s opponent in the group stage of the World Cup this summer, will test its credentials and also those of the leadership of the current Real Madrid leader, against a colossus of international football: Thomas Tuchel’s England.

As he did in a historic playoff tie against Manchester City, the one that consecrated him as “the Juanito of the 21st century” after scoring a hat trick in the first leg played at the Santiago Bernabeu, Valverde will want to leave his mark on an iconic venue like Wembley. The same one where he lifted, then with Toni Kroos wearing the white No. 8, the 15th ‘Big-Eared’ trophy with Real Madrid.

Opposite him, all indications are that his teammate Jude Bellingham will rest. The Three Lions manager reported that the Real Madrid player would have the opportunity to compete for the No. 10 position in the England squad in the second friendly, to be played on Tuesday of next week against Japan. That is, even more spotlights will point to Fede Valverde.

This will be his penultimate stop before the great World Cup date. After the second match of this international break against Algeria, the Uruguayans will make their debut in the United States on June 16 against Saudi Arabia. Until then, let Wembley tremble.

Roundtablesports is Free to join! You can post your own thoughts, comment on articles, and start conversations with our Roundtable Writers. 

Download the FREE Roundtable APP, and get even easier access to your favorite teams and news!