Long-time readers will know that over the decade+ I've off-and-on played Konami's "Pro Evolution Soccer" series-- dating back even past the first "Winning Eleven" on the PSP-- I often have "Pro Evo" moments, defined as: I always build my Master League teams with super young players, then bring said team up through the division-- until I start seeing those players pop up in real life, in prominent spots.

My favorite one was on Xbox-- as in, the original Xbox-- when I bought a teenaged Italian striker named "Gilardino". He, of course, went on to become a superstar.

In any event, I just had one such "Pro Evo" moment not a half hour ago: in the second half of their game versus Japan, Uruguay brought on a young fellow named "Federico Valverde". "Boy his picture looks familiar...", I thought. Then it struck me: I rummaged in my drawer for my Master League team sheet, and sure enough my lynchpin central midfielder is... "F. Valverde".