Number 8 at Real Madrid
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Federico Valverde took over the number 8 jersey at Real Madrid after Toni Kroos retired. However, the 26-year-old Uruguayan has struggled with inheriting the legacy, as he revealed in an interview with France Football magazine: “Deep down I wanted this number more than anything, but I don’t know, I was worried “Not being up to the task.”
“We are talking about a player who has marked the history of this club and the history of football in general,” said Valverde. Kroos played for Los Blancos from 2014 until last summer and won 23 titles during this time, including the Spanish championship four times and the Champions League five times.
“As a fan, I had nothing but admiration for him, for his technical and tactical skills. (…) I also got to know the person. He was a guy who stayed close to young players to give them advice and offer help. He was always animated by good intentions. To be honest, even a single minute with players of this class would have made me happy,” emphasized Valverde. Both were on the field together in 187 games. “In the end my wife said to me: ‘You have to take what you deserve. If the club offers you their number, you can’t refuse it.’ I had a lot of doubts and concerns,” said Valverde.
Real Madrid: Kroos suggested Valverde as heir to the jersey
The midfielder moved from his homeland to Los Blancos in 2016 for €5 million. He made it into the professional squad in 2018 via stops at Real Madrid Castilla and Deportivo La Coruna. His balance sheet includes a total of 270 appearances (24 goals/25 assists). Valverde recorded an increase from 120 million to 130 million euros in LaLiga’s market value update on Friday, making him one of the most valuable players in the world. For comparison: Kroos’ peak was 80 million euros (2018).
In fact, it was Kroos himself who suggested Valverde as his jersey heir. In his podcast “Einfach mal Luppen” he reported on a dialogue with Real President Florentino Pérez: “It happened that I wrapped it up in one and the same conversation where I informed him that I was quitting. I said at the end of the conversation that I would be happy if I could have a say in whether my number goes to Federico and is assigned.” At that point he had already spoken to Valverde about it.
Kroos knows that Valverde “wears the number with honor”: “In that case, I was happy that a worthy successor was found in Fede and that I don’t have to worry when the number 8 runs over the pitch, but instead think: Okay “Cool, I think it’s good.”
