At 25 years Joel Valencia He has spent his entire career on the ‘Old Continent’. He played in clubs Spain, Slovenia, Poland and England; He was even called up by the U17 National Team of Spain, but ended up opting for the Ecuadorian National Team.
In a dialogue with Radio Huancavilca (830 AM) from Guayaquil, the current Brentford footballer of the Championship (Second Division) returned to some of the aspects of his career, including his current stage, where he dreams of promotion to the Premier League while isolated at home by the new coronavirus pandemic (covid-19).
Valencia commented that cooking and exercising at home make their quarantine more bearable. Also he said feeling identified as an Emelec fan, Although he accepts that if he had the opportunity to play for any other team in the country, he would do so “with the same professionalism.”
His journey around the world began at a very young age. At the age of seven he already lived in Spain. When he turned eleven, after passing some tests, he joined the divisions lower Zaragoza. Having dual nationality, his performances led him to debut with the Spanish Sub17.
“I debuted with the Spain national team U17, but I think that through Almicar Mantilla in the FEF they looked for me and called me, that’s why I play for my country ”, he commented for the Buenos Aires radio.
Valencia joined the payroll of Ecuador that played the U17 World Cup in Mexico in 2011. There, he shared a team with Junior Sornoza, Joao Plata, Carlos Gruezo Cristian Ramírez and Jordan Jaime, among others. “I remember that I had a great time in the U17 team, I got into the group and I remember that Professor (Xavier) Rodríguez was very important to us.”
After his departure from Zaragoza he played for U.D. Logroñes. From Spain he moved to Slovenia to play in the FC Koper, and from there to Poland in the ranks of Piast, where he was champion. In July 2019, he joined Brentford of the Championship with a four-year contract.
He highlighted the intensity with which a game in English football is lived: “In Spain if you win 2-0 with 10 minutes to go that game you win, but in England if there are five minutes left everything can change, football is crazy here ”.
In Valencia there is concern over the uncertainty of a possible cancellation of the League, as his team maintains aspirations to ascend. Brentford is fourth with 60 points and is in the ‘playoffs’ zone.
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