Carlos Valderrama - Playing Style

Playing Style

Valderrama's physique was almost as peculiar as his hair, at 5'9 he was of average height, but he was exceptionally short-legged for his average height, and also had an easily noticeable "gap" between his feet due to the crooked shape of his legs; this, added to his visibly longer-than-normal neck, and massive hair, accentuated even more so, the peculiarities of his unusual physique. These physical peculiarities gave him an advantage when shielding the ball from opponents, the short length of his legs, added to his agility, helped Valderrama in small spaces where he could use his quick feet to shield the ball from players who usually had longer legs and also slower feet. The easily visible "gap" between his feet (due to the crooked shape of his legs), further gave him an advantage when shielding the ball. Valderrama not only had a peculiar appearance but also a peculiar technique, this being the result of having an unusual hairstyle as well as an unusual physique. Valderrama did not have a conventionally elegant physique, but words such as "elegant", "refined", "exquisite", were widely used to describe his technique on the ball.