Joel Valencia

Spain

A winger, Valencia joined the Real Zaragoza academy in 2005, at age 11. By 2011, he had progressed into the club's reserve team and was called into the first team squad on three occasions during the 2011–12 season. Valencia made his only senior appearance for the club as a substitute for Pablo Barrera late in a 6–0 La Liga defeat to Real Madrid on 28 August 2011. He spent much of the following three years in the reserve team and on loan at Málaga B, before departing La Romareda to join Segunda División B club Logroñés in August 2014. He remained with Logroñés until January 2016 and made 54 appearances for the club, scoring one goal.

Slovenia and Poland

On 27 January 2016, Valencia moved to Slovenia to join PrvaLiga club Koper. He made 28 appearances and scored two goals during 18 months at the Bonifika Stadium, before departing to join Polish Ekstraklasa club Piast Gliwice in August 2017, one a one-year contract, with a three-year option. Valencia was a part of the club's 2018–19 Ekstraklasa-winning team and his exploits were recognised with the Ekstraklasa and Polish Union of Footballers Player of the Year awards and a place in the Polish Union of Footballers Team of the Year. By the time of his departure in late July 2019, he had made 65 appearances and scored 9 goals for the club.

Brentford

On 31 July 2019, Valencia moved to England to join Championship club Brentford on a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee, reported to be £1.8…

Valencia was capped by Spain and Ecuador at U17 level. He was a part of Ecuador's 2011 FIFA U17 World Cup squad and made three appearances at the tournament.

As of match played 7 August 2026

Valencia was born in Quinindé, Esmeraldas, Ecuador and moved to Spain in 2002, at age 8. He has a Spanish passport. Valencia's partner, actress Paulina Chapko, gave birth to their child in July 2022.