12 March 2026
Real Madrid captain Fede Valverde burst into laughter after a journalist presented him with a symbolic 2026 Ballon d'Or, following his outstanding performance and leading the Royal Club to victory over Manchester City. Valverde scored all three of the Spanish team's goals, achieving his first career hat-trick and guiding Real Madrid to a resounding 3-0 victory over their visitors, Manchester City, managed by the esteemed Pep Guardiola, in the first leg of their Champions League Round of 16 match on Wednesday evening at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
After the match, during a media interview with Valverde, a reporter from the Champions League channel praised his performance and showed him a picture of the Ballon d'Or on her phone, asserting that he deserved it after his incredible display. She said to him, "The Ballon d'Or... look, this is for you."
The Uruguayan international burst into laughter before jokingly grabbing the phone and asking the reporter, "Is this phone mine too?"
Federico Valverde said of the match, "It's incredible. I've always dreamed of nights like this. I want to thank my teammates who give me the confidence to stay positive, as well as the coaching staff and everyone who supports us despite the difficult season."
Regarding whether it was his best match, Valverde emphasized, "Absolutely, especially in terms of goals. I enjoyed it immensely; I haven't enjoyed a match like this in a long time. I'm happy and excited, but the most important thing is the team's victory."
