The project began in 2022, when Valentino’s mother, Carolina Sanabria, reportedly offered him $2 for every completed chore. He took the challenge seriously, rising at 6am before school to make his bed, prepare breakfast, take out the rubbish and wash dishes.
On some days, the report says, he earned as much as $10. Birthday money, holiday cash and gifts from relatives also went into the fund. Toys provided occasional temptation, but the World Cup remained the priority.
When he realised the target was within reach, Valentino reportedly celebrated in typically energetic fashion.
“Oh my God. I jumped in the pool. I started doing flips all around the house. I was crazy happy,” he said.
The story is not simply about a young fan buying tickets. Valentino’s connection to Uruguay is personal: his father lives there, he visits regularly and he has reportedly met several members of the national team. Signed shirts from those encounters are displayed in his bedroom.
Football is also his own ambition. The report says he plays as both a winger and striker for a travel team and hopes to become a professional. A recent training match against Curaçao’s national team offered an early taste of the level he wants to reach, an experience he reportedly described as “unforgettable”.
The immediate goal is to see Uruguay in Miami. Beyond that, Valentino is still saving, with an even bigger ambition in mind: attending the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium.
For now, his journey is a reminder that football dreams are often built long before a player or supporter reaches the stadium. His next chapter will begin when Uruguay walk out in Miami-and when a four-year promise finally becomes real.