Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde experienced intense fear after accidentally injuring Zinedine Zidane’s son, Luca, during a training session. The Uruguay international, who joined the Spanish club in 2017 and worked under Zidane for three years, worried about his job despite their successful partnership that included La Liga and Champions League triumphs.

Training Ground Incident

Luca Zidane, the 27-year-old goalkeeper and second-oldest son of the French legend, progressed through Real Madrid’s academy. He made two senior appearances for the club before moving to Granada in 2020, where he now plays, and represents the Algeria national team.

Valverde recounted the moment on the ‘Terapia Picante’ podcast, stating, “I wanted to die, I thought they were going to sack me, I injured Zidane’s son.” He added a light-hearted note about his powerful shots: “Some goalkeepers have been injured by my shots. Shoulder injuries, especially. I have very skinny legs, I don’t know where I get so much strength from.” With 14 major trophies at Madrid, Valverde credits Zidane for shaping his mindset. “Zidane helped me develop my character,” he said. “He gave me tranquillity and peace of mind to know that things would work out for me.”

Coaching Influences

Before training under Álvaro Arbeloa and Xabi Alonso, Valverde spent four years with Carlo Ancelotti, whom he views as family. “Ancelotti made me believe in myself,” Valverde shared. “He’s like family to me. I love him very much. I hope I can run into him again someday. The way he made us feel day in and day out. That hunger and that desire to win. Ancelotti is the most complete.”

Current Campaign Challenges

Real Madrid trail La Liga leaders Barcelona by seven points with eight matches remaining. They face Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday after advancing past Manchester City with a 5-1 aggregate victory. Valverde’s first-half hat-trick in the opening leg proved decisive.

Reflecting on that performance, he said: “Everything went my way against City. I never thought I could score three goals. It was incredible. Those are 50 unforgettable minutes of my career. The best part was feeling the fans’ support. The day before, I told my wife I hoped I’d score, but three goals? Unthinkable.”