Frank Christian
Ten years ago, a young Federico Valverde, then just 16, dreamed of joining Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal.
He was given a chance to attend a trial with the team but did not end up being signed.
Today, Valverde plays a vital role in Real Madrid, who are the reigning Champions League champions, and he reflects on that trial experience with positive memories.
In a recent discussion with the Spanish outlet Marca, he shared insights about what might have been.
“At 16, I thought: ‘This is it. This will be my club. I’m going to develop here,” Valverde reminisced.
“In Uruguay, we watched a lot of Premier League matches, and I dreamed about having my career there.”
“I loved the experience and trained alongside some amazing players.”
He mentioned former Arsenal reserve goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez as someone who provided significant support during his trial.
“Not sure if he remembers, but Dibu [Martinez] was incredibly helpful to me, along with [Hector] Bellerín, Alexis [Sanchez], and [Santi] Cazorla,” Valverde shared.
“I struggled with English, and they helped explain everything to me.”
Martinez’s journey has also flourished since those early days.
Currently with Aston Villa, the Argentine goalkeeper has earned back-to-back Yashin Awards in 2023 and 2024, a prestigious recognition given by France Football for the top-performing goalkeeper globally each year.
