Valverde credits Zidane: It's not easy to play an inexperienced kid in tough games Real Madrid Taken a starting place

Fede Valverde has attributed much of his recent success with Real Madrid to coach Zinedine Zidane.

The Real Madrid boss has shown faith in the young midfielder, with the Uruguayan becoming an integral player in the first team squad.

"[Zidane] has trusted me to be a starter," Valverde told Tunel.

"It's not easy to play an inexperienced 21-year-old kid in tough games. Even more so when the team wasn't doing well and there was lots of criticism.

"He asks me to work for the team, to show what I can do with the ball.

"He tells me to do the same thing that I do in training; distribute with quality, be careful with my passes, which is fundamental for Zidane.

"[He tells me] to get forward, he tells me that I have a good middle-distance shot on me, that I'm useful in front of goal."

Despite securing a starting place at Real Madrid, Valverde admitted that he found it difficult in the first team to start with.

"You fight for this moment," Valverde said.

"I worked my whole life to get to this point. I live for football 100 percent.

"I found it difficult to start with, it was hard because it's not easy to come into a dressing room with [Luka] Modric, Casemiro, [Sergio] Ramos, [Gareth] Bale, [Karim] Benzema...

"Today, I speak with them face to face, but because I earned my place with my football. I proved myself.

"Obviously, it was tough for me when I arrived because I was scared of making mistakes, I wanted to respect people's space.

"Now, I feel like one of the squad. It was they who gave me a huge helping hand to give me space, to give me advice, teach me..."