Trent Alexander-Arnold has labeled his new Real Madrid teammate Federico Valverde “the most underrated footballer on the planet” after the Uruguayan’s sensational hat-trick stunned Manchester City in the Champions League.
Alexander-Arnold: Real Madrid Star is the ‘Most Underrated Player in the World’
Real Madrid took a giant step towards the quarter-finals on Wednesday night, demolishing Pep Guardiola’s side 3-0 at the Bernabeu.
With Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham watching from the sidelines, Valverde seized the spotlight. The 27-year-old opened the scoring after 20 minutes, slotting home from a tight angle.
He doubled the lead just seven minutes later and completed his first-half treble with a stunning flick-and-volley before the break.
The performance left Alexander-Arnold full of praise for his new colleague. The England international, who joined Los Blancos last summer, insists the midfielder has flown under the radar for too long.
“Even as a Liverpool player I admired him, and I think he is undoubtedly the most underrated footballer on the planet,” Alexander-Arnold told TNT Sports.
“Now that I have played with him, I understand how much he gives to the team. He covers every blade of grass and gives his absolute all.
The best attribute you can have is that your teammates can always count on you, and he is always there. He never lets us down.”
Alexander-Arnold believes that despite operating at the highest level for years, Valverde has been overlooked in a squad full of Galacticos. He hopes this European masterclass finally forces the world to take notice.
“Maybe people might start talking about him now,” Alexander-Arnold added.
“But for many years, he has been in that top bracket of midfielders.”
While the Spanish giants hold a commanding lead, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois struck a cautious note ahead of next week’s second leg at the Etihad.
The Belgian knows from experience how quickly things can change in Manchester.
“In the Etihad, I have lost 4-3 and lost 4-0—everything can happen there, so we have to stay calm,” Courtois warned.
“It is a very nice result, I am not going to lie, but we have to keep our foot on the floor.”
