Real Madrid News
Valverde hails Mourinho, embraces Real Madrid captaincy: ‘It’s incredibly emotional, a huge honour’
Federic Valverde returned to Real Madrid training today, marking the start of his pre-season under new head coach Jose Mourinho.
The day also carried extra significance for the Uruguayan midfielder, who celebrated his 28th birthday and begins the campaign as the club’s new first captain.
Speaking to Real Madrid TV, Valverde reflected on his return, his excitement about working with Mourinho, and the responsibility of wearing the captain’s armband.
Happy to be back
Valverde admitted he could not have imagined a better way to celebrate his birthday than returning to the club.
“I’m very happy to be back here, at the best club in the world, where I always dreamed of playing as a child. Celebrating my birthday here with my teammates and the group is something very special and emotional,” said the midfielder.
👋🌱 @FedeeValverde pic.twitter.com/flHlbcPMFv
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) July 22, 2026
“I’ll also make sure to send my love to my family, my wife, and my children,” he added.
Praise for Mourinho
Valverde also expressed his admiration for Mourinho, saying he is eager to learn from one of football’s most successful managers.
“I’m eager to learn from him, to listen to every piece of advice he gives me, and to make the most of every second, every minute of training I get to share with him and his coaching staff,” noted the 28-year-old Uruguayan star.
“I want to learn and grow as a person and as a footballer. I think he’s a special person from whom I can learn a lot, and I hope it’s a great season.”
Embracing the Captaincy
Valverde described becoming Real Madrid’s first captain coming into the new season, following Dani Carvajal’s exit, as one of the proudest moments of his career.
“It’s incredibly emotional, a huge honor. Whenever someone comes up to me on the street or within my circle, at home, and they tell me that (I’m captain), it fills me with pride and emotion,” shared the midfielder.
“You think about everything you’ve been through, the good times, the bad, and then the moment came to be the first captain.”
He also paid tribute to the captains who helped shape him during his years at the club.
“I’ve learned so much from all the teammates who have been captains here. They’ve always given me incredible support,” he remarked.
Continuing, Valverde added: “I’ve also grown a lot from those teammates with whom I shared so many years in the locker room, like Dani (Carvajal), Sergio (Ramos), Toni (Kroos), Luka (Modric), Lucas Vazquez…
“I’ll never tire of mentioning them. They’re players who have helped me a lot to grow as a person, as a captain, as a player.
“This will be my first year as captain, and I’m going to try to enjoy it to the fullest and give my absolute best, not only on the field but also off it, so that all my teammates feel comfortable.”
A message for the fans
Looking ahead to the new campaign, Valverde made his ambitions clear, saying: “What we want most is to win titles this year and for the people of Madrid to be happy, to enjoy a year full of titles and to be proud of us.”
Real Madrid are back in action tomorrow in La Liga as they take on Elche at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero on Matchday 6.
The Merengues go into the game on the back of a solid 4-1 win over Rayo Vallecano at the Santiago Bernabeu and will be eager to build on that, especially with the Madrid derby coming up later in the week.
Ahead of the trip to Elche, Jose Mourinho has announced the squad list of players that will be at his disposal for the game tomorrow night.
There are no new returns to the squad as Real Madrid continue to be without Eder Militao, Ferland Mendy, and Rodrygo Goes for the game.
Mourinho could look to make changes to his starting lineup, keeping an eye on the derby at the weekend, which could potentially open the doors for someone like Aurelien Tchouameni to start, having been eased back into the thick of things after return from injury.
There could be some rotations in defence as well, with the likes of Antonio Rudiger and Trent Alexander-Arnold hoping to get some action on the pitch.
It remains to be seen if Yan Diomande starts another game after featuring from the get-go against Rayo at the weekend, especially considering that Arda Guler has been a key player for Mourinho’s team.
Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr., and Jude Bellingham have started all matches so far and it will be interesting to see if one or all of them are given a break with an eye on the derby.
📋✅ ¡Nuestros convocados!
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) September 14, 2026
🆚 @elchecf pic.twitter.com/cTBbwSThoO
