[News Figures] Uruguay 'Return Match', Spotlight on Valverde Ranked 6th in World Transfer Value

Nickname 'Uruguayan Gerrard' for shooting and passing skills
Defensive midfielder known for tackling against Lee Kang-in
Currently valued at approximately 139.9 billion KRW, ranked 6th worldwide

The South Korean men's national soccer team will play a friendly match against Uruguay today at 8 p.m. at the Seoul World Cup Stadium. This is the second friendly match since the appointment of coach J?rgen Klinsmann, following the match against Colombia.

The primary player to watch is, of course, central attacking midfielder Federico Valverde (25, Real Madrid). Valverde is remembered by Korean fans for a foul tackle against Lee Kang-in during the first group stage match between South Korea and Uruguay in Group H of the 2022 Qatar World Cup, held on November 24 last year (local time) at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar.

Federico Valverde (Uruguay National Football Team)

Born in Montevideo, Uruguay in 1998, he began his youth career in 2008 at Pe?arol, a prestigious Uruguayan club. Standing out from the youth teams, Valverde demonstrated exceptional shooting and passing skills, attracting interest from top European clubs such as Arsenal, Barcelona, Chelsea, and Real Madrid.

He played for the Uruguay U-15 national team starting in 2012. In 2017, he participated in the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup, significantly contributing to Uruguay's youth team finishing in 4th place. Valverde joined Real Madrid in July 2018 and has been playing there since. His current market value is 100 million euros (approximately 139.9 billion KRW), ranking joint 6th in the global football player market.

Although a midfielder, Valverde exerts great influence across both offense and defense. He is known for reading the flow of the ball and selecting optimal positions, effectively acting as the lubricant of both attack and defense. Fans have praised him as the "Uruguayan Gerrard." Gerrard was a midfielder symbolizing England in the 2000s, famous for his long-range shots. The nickname likely stems from Valverde's role as an attacking midfielder.

Continuously developing, Valverde participated as a member of the Uruguay national team in the 2021 Copa Am?rica in June 2021. Later that year, in September, he played in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, scoring goals in matches against Bolivia and Chile, showcasing outstanding performance. In November 2022, he was selected for the squad participating in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

In the Qatar World Cup match against South Korea, he took a total of three shots, including one that hit the post in the final moments, and attempted two strong tackles on Lee Kang-in in defense. The match ended 0-0, and Valverde was named MVP. This season, he has appeared in 26 matches in the Spanish Primera Liga, recording 7 goals and 2 assists.