'When I came to Madrid, I thought that I was Messi and Cristiano in one body.
In my defense, when you are 17, you have no clue how dumb you really are, especially if they give you a little bit of money and praise. That combination is a hell of a drug.
But I got my wakeup call really quick. My first training session with Real Madrid Castilla, I came into the dressing room like I was walking on clouds. I was so confident. Vamos. I don’t even remember anything about training. It was a blur. But I do remember afterward, everybody was getting dressed, and I’m looking around, taking it all in … and then I actually start noticing what everybody is wearing...
Brand new Nikes. No scuffs.
Louis Vuitton wallets. Louis Vuitton toilet bags.
Remember, this is not even the legends! We are not talking about Benzema and Modrić and Marcelo! These are the kids!
I had this realization, like a thunderbolt: Oh shit, Fede. You’re wearing a two euro T-shirt.
For me, Zara was expensive. In Uruguay, if you’re wearing some Zara, you’re a boss. I’m looking around seeing guys wearing watches that cost more than my parents’ house back home.
It all hit me, in one moment: There’s levels to this game, you punk! You’re nobody!
So I’m sitting there still in my dirty kit, and I’m not even taking my boots off.
Everybody starts going to the showers and I’m seeing guys wearing Gucci underwear. Gucci f****** underwear, bro!!! When did they invent that???
How much does that even cost???
I’m thinking: Hopefully mine don’t have any holes today! Pray to God my mum checked the laundry.
I sat there for 20 minutes pretending that I was checking something really important on my phone. It was pure time-wasting. Guys were looking at me like, “Is something wrong, bro? You O.K.?”
I’ve never felt so small.
I waited until everybody showered and went out to the parking lot, and then I finally got changed when it was just me and the kitman.
That night, I went to H&M and I said, “I need 10 packs of your best underwear.”
Hahahah! I remember saying to myself that night, “Man, who do you think you are? This is Real Madrid. You think you are Cristiano? You aren’t shit.”
I was a boy.'


- Federico Valverde