Chinese tech giant Huawei said on Monday it had developed a new way of making semiconductors that could get around its U.S.-enforced lack of access to the most advanced chipmaking equipment. Huawei has in recent years been at the centre of a geopolitical standoff after Washington warned its
World Tarot Day 2026: The most misunderstood tarot cards and what they actually meanPeople tarot as entertainment or fear it because of the dramatic social media readings. But tarot was never meant to work through fear; it is a symbolic tool. Updated on: May 25
From mirrors to mood lighting, these 5 budget-friendly decor tricks can make small homes look surprisingly luxuriousWant to upgrade your home into a luxurious space? Here are some budget-friendly decor ideas you can consider for a beautiful home. Published on: May 25
A Bahraini court sentenced nine defendants to life in prison and two others to three years in jail for collaborating with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to carry out what it described as “hostile and terrorist acts” against Bahrain
Tarot vs Astrology: Which one can predict your future better? An expert breaks it downAstrology explains cosmic timing and patterns. Tarot explains your emotional experience of those patterns. One gives you the map, the other acts like a mirror. Updated on: May 25
The Japanese fruit ‘sando’ is becoming India’s favourite summer dessert; take a look With fluffy milk bread, clouds of whipped cream, and jewel-like slices of fresh fruit tucked inside, the Japanese sando has become India’s go-to dessert Updated on: May 25
Madhuri Dixit serves ‘a little bit of drama’ as she gives classic white saree a modern twist with chic jacketMadhuri Dixit proves age is just a number as she stuns in ivory saree with floral prints, layered with a sleek jacket, blending elegance with modern drama. Published on: May 25
3 elephant calves die within 17 days in Chhattisgarh’s DharamjaigarhEight elephant calves have died in Dharamjaigarh forest division over the past five months due to drowning, getting trapped in marshland, etc Published on: May 25, 2026 1:27 PM IST By Ritesh Mishra Share via Copy link Three
Arsenal trial and self-doubt: Valverde's journey to Real legend
Arsenal trial and self-doubt: Valverde's journey to Real legend
For years, Fede Valverde has been Real Madrid's unsung hero. The player who runs for everyone else, the one who fills the gaps.
At the Bernabeu last Wednesday, the 27-year-old midfielder made himself the man who the headlines revolved around as his stunning hat-trick left Manchester City 3-0 down and with an improbable mountain to climb in Tuesday's Champions League last-16 second leg at the Etihad.
His first career treble - for either Real or Uruguay - ended with an improvised lap of honour and a signed match ball given to his younger son Bautista in the stadium car park as a family photo was taken with both of his children and wife Mina Bonino.
It was a memory that will last a lifetime but one that has been years in the making.
From failing to impress at Arsenal as a 16-year-old to doubting his own ability, how has the Uruguayan made himself a Real Madrid legend?
Valverde's role in the first game against City had been one of manager Alvaro Arbeloa's most important decisions.
Against Jeremy Doku, he was Trent Alexander-Arnold's best friend, protecting the right-back without sacrificing his freedom to surge forward. The plan relied on long deliveries from goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois into the right flank where Valverde could attack the space behind City's high line.
The first goal came exactly that way. Courtois launched long, Valverde won the duel with Nico O'Reilly, drove into the area and finished. City needed to look after Vinicius, who was mostly anonymous, but instead Madrid broke the game open through Valverde on the other side.
For Arbeloa this performance was not so much a surprise.
In recent weeks the coach has described Valverde as the spiritual epitome of Real Madrid, even comparing him to former player Juan Gomez - Juanito - which, at the Bernabeu, is placing a player on the highest club's altar.
In his 10 years at Real Madrid, Valverde has made almost 300 appearances and has won 11 major trophies, including two Champions League triumphs.
He grew up in Montevideo, Uruguay, in the neighbourhood of La Union.
His father worked as a security guard at a casino. His mother cleaned houses and sometimes sold clothes to help support the family. Money was tight. His first football boots were second-hand, their toes repaired so they would last longer.
One of his youth coaches nicknamed him 'Pajarito' (little bird) because as a child he seemed to bounce everywhere with the ball.
His father Julio did not like that analogy too much. He preferred to think of his child as a stronger being and, with that in mind, shaped his mentality.
He taught me that fighting is in the blood," Valverde has said. "Even today he pushes me. He tells me to shoot more, to keep improving.
Support always came from home. His parents were his most loyal fans, along with his three older brothers.
I saw them working all the time," Valverde once said. "It was tough. My parents did everything so I could play football.
His mother Doris was the emotional centre of the family, organising his first trial with Penarol. He eventually left school early to pursue the game, finishing primary education but not secondary school. The decision had been taken by all the family.
In training he was quiet and shy. In fact, the tireless runner he is today did not always exist. As a teenager Valverde disliked running. He believed talent would be enough.
"I thought I had Maradona's qualities," he later admitted. Then one day a youth coach substituted him because he wasn't tracking back. Valverde changed.
Before Real Madrid appeared there was another possibility. At 16, he spent a week training with Arsenal's first team in London.
For a teenager from Montevideo it felt surreal: the facilities, the Premier League stars, the scale of everything.
He didn't speak English, so Emiliano Martínez, then a young Arsenal goalkeeper, helped translate instructions and explain the drills. He thought he had found his club, his place in the world. But he did not convince Arsenal.
Instead, during the South American Under-17 Championship in Paraguay, two visitors arrived at his hotel. They were from Real Madrid.
Valverde, drying his tears after losing the final of that competition, heard what they had to say.
His mum pushed for the move despite the fact the Penarol chairman wanted him to stay for a while to develop. It was the move the whole family had been waiting for.
Moving to Madrid brought another shock. One day in the dressing room of Castilla [Real Madrid B], Valverde looked around and saw Gucci belts, designer wallets and expensive watches. Then he looked at himself. A cheap T-shirt.
That's when I realised," he later said, "that here I was nobody.
After a season with Castilla he was loaned to Deportivo La Coruna. The year in Galicia proved crucial. There he learned how to live alone and cope with criticism, and grew as both a footballer and a person.
There were setbacks along the way. Being left out of Uruguay's 2018 World Cup squad was one of the hardest blows of his career. He remembers returning home feeling ashamed, believing he had let down his family and friends.
Even his early months at Real Madrid were shaped by doubt. The fear of making mistakes made him hesitate.
The person who helped him through that moment was his then partner, Mina Bonino. "If you're at Real Madrid it's for a reason," she told him. "Stop hiding. Enjoy football like you did when you were a child."
Gradually, and with the help of psychologists and mental coaches, plus the confidence of Julen Lopetegui, the manager that gave him his Real debut, Valverde rediscovered that freedom.
In the 2021-22 season, he played a decisive role in Real Madrid's Champions League triumph.
Around the same time, he and Mina were expecting their second child. What should have been a joyful moment turned into a nightmare when doctors warned the pregnancy was at serious risk and the baby might not survive.
Valverde withdrew emotionally, struggling with the confusion of the moment. Showing strength in public and struggling in private.
Weeks later the scans improved. Their son Bautista was eventually born healthy in June 2023.
Under Xabi Alonso there were periods when Valverde struggled to find his natural place in the team.
At times he was used in unfamiliar roles, including right-back. On one occasion he admitted his frustration publicly. "I wasn't born to be a right-back," Valverde said in a news conference.
For a time it felt as if Valverde was more focused on recovering his natural midfield role than embracing the responsibility that comes with being one of Real Madrid's captains.
Arbeloa returned him to the midfield and let him fly so he could transform himself into the player we saw on Wednesday night.
Source: BBC
Related Posts: Hat-trick hero Valverde shows City the Real Madrid way Real Madrid run riot as Valverde treble stuns Man City Real Madrid's Valverde suffers head injury in altercation with teammate Tchouameni Why Jackie Shroff’s Favourite Dahi Bhaat Is The Unsung Hero Of Gut-Friendly Eating Argentine singer Fede Dorcaz brutally murdered in Mexico City Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid Live Streaming Who were the unsung artists behind colonial India’s rich botanical paintings 5 unsung moments from India's World Cup 2025 win Valverde slams Tchouameni fight rumours
The Canadian Grand Prix was the race in which the Formula 1 title battle finally came alive this year. It was also, however, the race in which it took a potentially decisive turn, putting a huge dent in George Russell's hopes of beating his 19-year-old Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli to the
4 hours ago
CBSE Class 12 answer sheet scanned copies application window ends today, direct link hereCBSE Class 12 answer sheet scanned copies application window will close today, May 25, 2026. The direct link to apply is given here. Published on: May 25
4 hours ago
Microsoft techie couple in Noida breaks down ₹1.6 lakh monthly expenses, says city feels balanced despite rising costsA Microsoft couple in Noida revealed they spent around ₹1.6 lakh monthly while balancing work, lifestyle and family needs. Published on: May 25
4 hours ago
A CBSE Class 12 student has raised serious concerns over the board’s re-evaluation process after claiming the Physics answer sheet uploaded under his roll number does not belong to him. The student shared comparisons of multiple answer sheets and demanded an urgent investigation into the alleged
4 hours ago
Thyroid disorder cases have been gradually rising over the past few years, especially in younger adults and the younger working generations. Even though genes and autoimmune disorders play a role, the way we live our lives is becoming a reason for thyroid problems. We speak to Dr Aravind Badiger
4 hours ago
Sandhu finishes T-63, Sterne wins after gap of 13 yearsSandhu finishes T-63, Sterne wins after gap of 13 years Published on: May 25, 2026 1:47 PM IST PTI Share via Copy link Rinkven , Indian golfer Yuvraj Sandhu endured a difficult final day to finish T-63 at the Soudal Open here
4 hours ago
Mumbai's old building redevelopment market grows 16% in 2025; Momentum continues in 2026: DataMumbai real estate: A total of 1,094 development agreements (DAs) were signed between January 2020 and March 15, 2026, according to data from Knight Frank India Published on: May 25
7 hours ago
New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath issued statewide directions on Bakrid across the state. In a meeting with officials, Adityanath reviewed the festival’s preparedness and also looked into Ganga Dussehra arrangements and actions against illegal activities
7 hours ago
Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek will make permanent a 75% price cut on its flagship V4-Pro artificial intelligence model, keeping prices at a quarter of their original level, the company said in a statement on Saturday. DeepSeek did not disclose whether the permanent
7 hours ago
For years, carbohydrates have been put on trial in the fitness world. Scroll through social media, and you will find countless posts blaming carbs for weight gain, sluggishness, and poor fitness results. Many athletes and fitness enthusiasts respond by cutting carbs drastically
7 hours ago
‘Work culture is not hell’: Man who worked in Europe, UK, Canada and US says Bengaluru’s real problem is commuteA man claimed Bengaluru’s commute, not work culture, is the real reason many professionals feel exhausted. Published on: May 25, 2026 10:56 AM IST By Mahipal Singh Chouhan Share
7 hours ago
Sunrisers Hyderabad’s victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their last league outing has brought the curtain down on the top-two battle in IPL 2026, with both finalists now officially confirmed. Although RCB walked away on the losing side
7 hours ago
, which has a global market capitalisation of $343 billion, has advocated modernising India’s power grid to help drive the country’s AI dream, underscoring the intricate linkages and dependencies across multiple domains and utilities crucial to acing the technology that's now grabbing 80% of
7 hours ago
Aishwarya Rai's stylist gets emotional about dressing 'icon' for her high-stakes Cannes return: 'What a week it’s been'Stylist Mohit Rai hails Aishwarya Rai as Cannes ‘legend’, silencing critics with a masterclass in avant-garde couture: ‘Showing the children how it’s done’
7 hours ago
Uttar Pradesh groom murder main accused killed in police ‘encounter’Police said Ravi Yadav, the accused, who carried a reward of ₹1 lakh on his head, was on a motorcycle when he was asked to stop during vehicle checking Published on: May 25, 2026 10:54 AM IST By HT Correspondent Share via
7 hours ago
Girls Aloud star Nicola Roberts has announced the birth of her first child. In a social media post, the singer, 40, said her daughter had "arrived healthy and content a couple of weeks ago at 38 weeks" and was "thriving". Photos from her Instagram account show the star holding her baby
7 hours ago
Uber's board met on Saturday to discuss raising its offer for after a major shareholder rebuffed Uber's bid that would value the German food delivery group at over 11.5 billion euros ($13.39 billion), the Financial Times reported on Sunday
7 hours ago
Editorial independence is core to our work. Some links may earn us a commission, without influencing our opinions.Looking for a compact bedroom air purifier? Here's why Qubo R250 is a solid choiceThe compact Qubo R250 punches above its weight with rapid HEPA filtration and smooth smart controls
7 hours ago
May 25 Birthday Horoscope: Here's what the tarot cards have in store for you this yearIf your birthday falls on May 25, here’s what your year ahead looks like, as per Tarot. Published on: May 25, 2026 11:00 AM IST By Kishori Sud Share via Copy link If you were born on May 25
7 hours ago
Opposition parties in Kerala accused the Congress of double standards after Kerala’s former chief electoral officer assumed charge as the secretary to Chief Minister VD Satheesan on Sunday, PTI reported. Rathan U Kelkar, a 2003-batch Kerala cadre Indian Administrative Services officer
7 hours ago
In late April, India's Sun Pharmaceuticals agreed to pay $11.75bn (£8.59bn) to acquire New York-listed women's health and biosimilars firm Organon & Co. It marked the biggest overseas acquisition by an Indian company in nearly two decades and followed a string of high-profile international deals
7 hours ago
‘Laughed at me, called me stupid’: Founder of AI data collection firm on Pronto CEO Anjali SardanaHuman Archive founder Rushil Agarwal has taken a swipe at Pronto's Anjali Sardana amid the row around the Bengaluru startup recording inside customers’ homes Updated on: May 25
7 hours ago
In the English translation of Franz Kafka’s short story, Metamorphosis, published in 2007, Michel Hofmann translated the famous opening line (which included the German word “Ungeziefer”, generically meaning insect) in this manner: “When Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from troubled dreams
7 hours ago
Marco Rubio visits Taj Mahal in Agra with wife Jeanette | VideoAfter the Agra visit, he is scheduled to continue his trip to Jaipur later in the day. Updated on: May 25, 2026 10:46 AM IST By HT News Desk Share via Copy link US secretary of state Marco Rubio visited the Taj Mahal in Agra on Monday
7 hours ago
Full Moon May 2026: Astrologer shares how this intense Blue Moon might impact your zodiac signAccording to astrologer Sidhharrth S Kumaar, every zodiac sign could experience this lunar energy differently. Here's what this Blue Moon may mean for you. Updated on: May 25
7 hours ago
Cardiologist reveals the real cause of heart attacks that most people overlook and it’s not just ‘bad cholesterol’Could your gut health be affecting your heart? A cardiologist explains how inflammation, poor sleep, stress, and unhealthy habits may raise heart attack risk. Published on: May 25
7 hours ago
Turkish riot police fired tear gas and forced their way into the main opposition party’s headquarters to evict its ousted leadership on Sunday (May 24, 2026), deepening a crisis at the heart of Turkiye’s democracy. Clouds of tear gas billowed within the Republican People’s Party
7 hours ago
