move back into midfield transformed into a side with greater control, drive and attacking intent . In the first half of the 1-1 draw, the Real Madrid man was rarely involved. Starting on the right wing, away from the areas where he usually exerts his influence the most, he struggled to make an impact. Everything changed after half-time. Back in midfield, he once again became the driving force of Marcelo Bielsa’s side.
That has put his role back at the centre of discussions about how Uruguay will set up ahead of their Group H meeting at the .
Before the match, Bielsa had made it clear that he would stick to his usual structure: four defenders, a holding midfielder, a box-to-box player, an attacking midfielder, two wingers and a centre-forward.
But La Celeste were largely unable to impose themselves in their opener at . Away from the areas where the contest was taking shape, Uruguay’s captain and leader was unable to have his usual say on proceedings. From the right flank, Valverde rarely got to the byline and struggled to find shooting positions. During those first 45 minutes, he seemed to drift away from the touchline and into more familiar areas at times, closer to the role he usually occupies for Uruguay.
After the break, following the introduction of Agustin Cannobio, Valverde returned to his usual midfield role for La Celeste and the difference was clear. From the middle of the park, he had greater control, won loose balls, and gave fresh impetus to an attack that managed to score an equaliser. He was eventually named Michelob Ultra Superior Player of the Match for the way he turned the match around for his side.
"Valverde is a player who improves moves when he gets on the ball, and perhaps staying out on the right limited the number of passes he received. That may be true," admitted Bielsa in the press conference ahead of the match, which will also be played in Miami.
"But sometimes people say a player only had a few touches. Then there are other occasions, like the match against City [Real Madrid’s 3-0 victory in the UEFA Champions League 2025-26 last 16] when he touched the ball four times and won the match with those touches."
In an exclusive interview with FIFA, Bielsa described the qualities of the versatile 27-year-old. "He’s a complete player," he said. "He is dynamic, comfortable receiving the ball in different positions, capable of scoring, shooting from distance, crossing, making unexpected runs, working hard and regaining possession. Few players have so many different facets to their game."
The Argentinian tactician explained that footballers usually come with a trade-off. Creative players do not always win the ball back, those who surprise opponents do not always defend, and players who operate with such intensity do not always know when to slow the game down. In Bielsa’s view, Valverde offers something unique: "He has everything a match can ask of a player, because every match asks for something different."
Bielsa used the match against Manchester City to illustrate how Valverde can impact proceedings even with limited involvement. The Uruguayan scored all three goals in Madrid’s victory and decided the match through isolated but decisive actions.
The context, however, was different. Unlike that Los Blancos side, Uruguay created little in their World Cup opener and rarely managed to put Valverde in situations that brought out the best in him.
"Since Bielsa arrived, he has introduced us to a new way of playing. We spent many years with El Maestro, Tabarez, who had his own way of understanding the game. With Bielsa, a lot has changed in terms of how we play and press – everyone has their own ideas," Valverde told FIFA.
Against Cabo Verde, everything suggests Valverde will return to midfield. That was where, at least in the second half of their opener, Uruguay looked at their most convincing.
Sources: FIFA Official
