Enner Valencia

Emelec

Enner Valencia came to Guayaquil to trial for Emelec in 2008 from Caribe Junior's youth system, the same team where Ecuador star Antonio Valencia played in his early years. In 2008, he was transferred to Emelec. From 2008 to early 2010 he received no opportunities in the first team, but with the arrival of the Argentinian coach Jorge Sampaoli, Valencia started to receive playtime opportunities. Emelec were runners-up to champions L.D.U. Quito, losing 2–1 on aggregate score. Valencia scored nine league goals in 30 league matches in 2011. In November 2012, he scored five goals in five separate matches against El Nacional, LDU Loja, Técnico Universitario, and twice against Manta in both home and away matches, winning four of the five matches, only drawing against LDU Loja. This brought his goal tally to 13 goals scored in 40 league matches played, his best season yet, but for a third season in a row, the team was runner-up to league champions and club rivals Barcelona SC. On 7 August 2013, Valencia scored his first career hat-trick against Peruvian side Sport Huancayo, in a 4–0 2013 Copa Sudamericana first round match. He finished the season as league champions with Emelec, the club's first since 2002.

Pachuca

After numerous rumours involving the interest of Liga MX side Pachuca for Valencia, both parties came to terms and agreed on a transfer. On 18 January 2014, Valencia scored his first goal in a 2–1 victory against Tijuana. The following week he…

After playing for the nation's under-22 team at the 2011 Pan American Games, Valencia made his debut for the Ecuador senior team on 12 February 2012 in a friendly against Honduras.

Valencia initially began his career as a winger, but was converted to play as a striker by Emelec coach Gustavo Quinteros. Reinaldo Rueda started experimenting with Valencia as a striker after the untimely death of Christian Benítez. After making three appearances in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign, he scored his first international goal in a 2–2 draw against Honduras on 19 November 2013. He continued his good form in 2014, scoring in three of Ecuador's four pre-tournament friendlies. On 5 March, he scored, assisted a goal and won a penalty kick as La Tri came from 3–0 down to defeat Australia 4–3. He then scored the team's only goal in a 3–1 loss against Mexico, and gave them an early lead in a 2–2 draw with England in Miami. In June 2014, Valencia was named to Ecuador's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. On 15 June, he made his World Cup debut in the team's opening match against Switzerland at the Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha in Brasília, opening the scoring with a header in a 2–1 defeat. In Ecuador's second match, Valencia scored both goals to defeat Honduras 2–1 in Curitiba. He continued his good form after the tournament, scoring the third goal of a 4–0 victory against Bolivia. On 10 October, Valencia again netted for Ecuador in the 88th minute of a 1–1 friendly…

Club

As of match played 17 May 2026

International

As of match played 30 June 2026

Scores and results list Ecuador's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Valencia goal.

Valencia hails from Esmeraldas Province and is of Afro-Ecuadorian descent. He came from a poor family and when he arrived at Emelec, he had to sleep in rudimentary lodgings at the club's Estadio George Capwell, as he had no money to stay anywhere else and at times struggled to buy enough to eat. In August 2020, Valencia's sister, Erci was taken hostage in San Lorenzo by an armed gang and held for 10 days before being released unharmed. In October 2016, a warrant was issued for his arrest in Ecuador for unpaid child support. As his warrant coincided with a World Cup qualifier against Chile, police arrived to arrest him once the match concluded; Valencia then seemingly collapsed with an injury in the 82nd minute and had to be taken off with an ambulance cart, which then got into a pursuit with Ecuadorian police.