Zarek Valentin

College and amateur

Valentin graduated from Manheim Township High School before enrolling at the University of Akron in 2009. He started all 25 games for the Zips in his freshman year, and was off the field for only 11 minutes. He was a key contributor in defense and allowed just seven goals all season, helping them finish with a 23-1-0 season record, ultimately losing on penalties during the NCAA National Championship in 2009. Although the team didn't take home the title, this was their first year making it to the finals. During just his first year in Ohio, he was named Mid-American Conference Newcomer of the Year, College Soccer News All-Freshman First Team, and the All-MAC First Team. In his 2010 season at the University of Akron, Valentin helped lead his team to the NCAA Men's Division I Soccer Championship, where the team won the school's first ever National Championship. Valentin played every game at centerback to lead a defense that conceded only 16 goals over the entire season. He was named College Soccer News All-America Second Team, All-MAC First Team, and was named to the College Cup All-Tournament Team. During his college years Valentin also played with Reading Rage and the Michigan Bucks in the USL Premier Development League. At the completion of his 2010 season at the University of Akron, Valentin chose to forgo his final two seasons of collegiate eligibility, declaring for the MLS SuperDraft and signing a Generation Adidas contract with Major League…

Valentin was a member of various US Youth National teams, including the U-20s, U-18s, U-17 and U-15s. He has 29 caps for the United States U-20 men's national soccer team. Valentin was a valuable part of the 2010 Milk Cup winning squad. He assisted the final goal in their 3–0 victory over Northern Ireland in the final. On September 15, 2016, Valentin was called up to the Puerto Rico national team by coach Carlos García Cantarero ahead of two 2017 Caribbean Cup qualifying games against Curaçao and Antigua and Barbuda, although he did not appear in those matches. In October 2020, it was confirmed that Zarek Valentin agreed to represent Puerto Rico internationally for the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification set to start in 2021. Valentin made his debut for Puerto Rico in a 7–0 victory over the Bahamas on June 2, 2021. Valentin scored his first international goal in a Concacaf Nations League match against Cayman Islands at the 84th minute.

As of March 21, 2023

International goals

Valentin has two brothers and one sister. One of his older brothers is retired soccer player Julian Valentin, who played for MLS club LA Galaxy and NASL club FC Tampa Bay. His hobbies include cooking and playing the guitar. In 2010 Zarek was featured in The New York Times Magazine as one of eleven Next-Gen American Soccer players. Valentin met his now wife Liz McAteer while playing for Montreal. Together, they have one son.