Club World Cup: the story of the embrace between Valverde and Ancelotti after one of Real Madrid’s goals

Nothing is discovered if this is stated Charles Ancelotti He is one of the best DTs in the world, maybe in history. For titles won and career he can fight anyone. But also the huge Carletto has a condition that is not always consistent with success in this highly competitive environment: the sensation which he generates with his players, in this case with the Uruguayan Federico Valverdeauthor of two goals in the final of Club World Cupwhich once again consecrated the Spanish team.

In September last year, when the season had just begun, Ancelotti spoke at a press conference and one of the questions concerned a change of role that he had decided to shape in the game of the former midfielder born in 98 born in Montevideo.

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For Ancelotti it was nonsense that a player like Valverde, with dynamism, footwork and exquisite punch, had scored only one goal in the season that had ended. For this he had decided to make him advance a few meters in extreme position, in order to be able to play closer to the area. And true to his style, he recounted how the conversation he had with the Uruguayan motivated him.

“I told him (to Valverde): ‘If you’re not capable of scoring at least 10 goals in a season, I have to take the card and retire’. Because he has a gem in his foot… Not only does he have dynamism, he’s a player very intelligent on the pitch,” described the coach, praising the ex Penarol.

Fede more than repaid the coach’s trust, arriving in Morocco with 9 goals and the concrete possibility of hitting the target of preventing the immense Ancelotti from having to “break through the card” summarizing the idea of ​​retiring from football. .

“If I get to the tenth goal, I celebrate by embracing him,” replied the Uruguayan, who admitted during the week that Celeste’s lazy World Cup in Qatar put him to the test mentally and that he wanted to recover as soon as possible. Boy, did he.

Valverde made it 2-0 and then scored to extend the lead against lowly Ramón Díaz’s Al Hilal, who held on as best they could and kept the score in suspense until the last moment.

After scoring the first of his two goals, valverde he ran to Ancelotti and gave him the hug he had promised, a gesture which the Italian returned with great affection. An award that won’t appear in any statistics but that means a lot to DT, at 63 years old.

Ancelotti’s Real Madrid shows up in the Champions League round of 16 against Liverpool to try and defend the title they won last year in Paris, even against the English. In Europe it is insisted that this will be the Italian manager’s last season at the helm of a team in which he has already won everything. Perhaps an elite selection awaits him. And no, thanks to Valverde he won’t retire.