A 10-year-old boy from Florida turned household chores into a ticket to the FIFA World Cup. Valentino Sanabria, a young football fan from Boca Raton, spent four years saving money from chores to watch Uruguay play in the United States. He saved over $600, enough to buy tickets for two Uruguay matches in Miami.
From Chores to World Cup Dream
Valentino's journey began in 2022 when he was six. After watching Uruguay win a World Cup match on TV, he told his mother, Carolina Sanabria, he wanted to attend a game when the tournament came to the U.S. She offered him $2 per chore. Valentino agreed and started working.
Speaking to PEOPLE, Valentino said he woke up at 6 a.m. before school to make his bed, prepare breakfast, take out the trash, and wash dishes. Some days he earned up to $10. Instead of spending, he saved every dollar. His mother said he also saved birthday money, holiday gifts, and cash from relatives. Though tempted to buy toys, he stayed focused.
When he learned he had enough for the tickets, his reaction was unforgettable. "I was screaming. I was running around the house. I was so happy," Valentino told PEOPLE. "Oh my God. I jumped in the pool. I started doing flips all around the house. I was crazy happy."
Pursuing a Football Career
Valentino's love for football started early. By age six, he wanted to focus only on football. Today, he plays competitively as a winger and striker on a travel team. His long-term goal is to become a professional footballer. Recently, he got a glimpse of that future when his team played a training match against the Curaçao national team, preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He described it as unforgettable.
His connection to Uruguay runs deep. His father lives there, he visits regularly, and he has met several Uruguay national team players. Signed jerseys from those meetings hang on his bedroom wall. Valentino continues earning money and hopes to attend more World Cup matches, including the final at MetLife Stadium. "If I can go to the finals, that'd be amazing. That's my dream!"
