Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde won’t be heading off on international duty with Uruguay this month after being left out of Marcelo Bielsa’s squad.
The tireless midfielder will remain in the Spanish capital, giving manager Xabi Alonso a chance to rest one of his key players heading into the festive period.
Valverde’s absence from the Uruguay squad isn’t due to injury or controversy. It’s a mutual decision between the 27-year-old and his international team head coach, Bielsa.
Uruguay have already booked their place in the 2026 World Cup, which means they only have friendlies against the Dominican Republic and Uzbekistan lined up.
Bielsa agreed to give Valverde a break, and the midfielder will continue his recovery at Madrid.
The break comes at a perfect time for Valverde. Last season, Valverde played 65 times across all competitions, scoring 11 goals and weighing in with a further eight assists.
This season, he has hardly gotten a chance to catch his breath, with only Dean Huijsen, Alvaro Carreras, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Kylian Mbappe racking up more minutes among outfield players.
After months of playing consecutive games, Valverde can finally recharge physically and mentally while continuing to adapt to Alonso’s brand of football.
Skipping the long-haul flights to South America means less fatigue and more time spent focused on the training ground – something every player appreciates as the season heats up.
Valverde won’t be alone at Valdebebas either. Alonso will also have Jude Bellingham and Tchouameni available, as both England and France opted not to call them up for this window.
Dani Ceballos, Fran Garcia, Carreras, and young Brazilian striker Endrick will also be around, along with several players still recovering from injuries.
Valverde has already featured nine times in all competitions this season, providing three assists.
All three assists came in La Liga, where he has also recorded a duel success rate of 62% (both air and ground) while averaging 1.5 tackles, four ball recoveries, and 1.6 clearances per 90 minutes.
Madrid travel to Getafe when club football returns before hosting Juventus in the Champions League.
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