Federico Santiago Valverde Dipetta was born on 22 July 1998 in Montevideo, Uruguay. He came through Peñarol's academy and made his senior debut at 17, winning the Uruguayan Primera División in his first season. Real Madrid signed him in 2016 once he turned 18; after spending 2017–18 on loan at Deportivo La Coruña, where he made his La Liga debut, he joined the senior squad in 2018 and has gone on to make more than 300 appearances for the club.
Valverde's trophy haul at Real Madrid now includes three La Liga titles (2019–20, 2021–22, 2023–24), two UEFA Champions League titles (2021–22 and 2023–24), the 2022–23 Copa del Rey, three Spanish Supercopas, two UEFA Super Cups, and two FIFA Club World Cup wins. After the departures of Luka Modrić and Lucas Vázquez ahead of 2025–26, he was named the team's vice-captain. On 11 March 2026 he scored the first hat-trick of his career in a 3–0 Champions League round-of-16 first-leg win over Manchester City. By spring 2026 he had logged 5 league goals and 8 assists in over 2,600 La Liga minutes, with his role split between central midfield and the right-back position when needed.
A Uruguay international with more than 70 caps, Valverde has appeared at three Copa Américas (2019, 2021, and 2024 — third place) and the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He is a box-to-box midfielder defined by his work rate, two-footedness, powerful long-range shooting, and the tactical flexibility to slot in across right midfield, right wing, or right-back. He inherited Toni Kroos's number 8 shirt for the 2024–25 season.