Federico Valverde revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo played a role before he scored a hat-trick to lead Real Madrid to a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Manchester City in the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg.
On 12 March 2026, Federico Valverde, the Uruguayan attacker, disclosed that Cristiano Ronaldo, the renowned Portuguese star, was a significant role model and source of inspiration before he scored a hat-trick, helping Real Madrid, the "Los Blancos," to dominate Manchester City, the "Citizens," 3-0 at home in the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg last night.
Rewinding to that match, Federico Valverde delivered a blazing performance by scoring a hat-trick in the 20th, 27th, and 42nd minutes, giving Real Madrid a solid advantage before traveling to the Etihad Stadium, home of Manchester City, for the second leg.
Recently, Federico Valverde stated, "Cristiano Ronaldo is a role model for all of us, both in training methods and playing style. He has shown us what it means to be at the top. He is the greatest footballer of all time."