A club with a rich history, Valencia have won a number of national as well as continental titles and are deemed a part of the G-14 group of European football clubs.While they might have endured a number of tough seasons in the recent memory, there is no denying the fact that Valencia are amongst the elite in Spain. Their ability to field competitive and efficient units, despite their financial constraints has often left a number of football pundits and fans mesmerised with their performances.
Over the course of the last few decades, we have seen a number of superstars establish their credentials at the Mestalla Stadium and in this segment, we bring to you 5 such players, who made a mark for themselves while playing for the Los Che.
#5 Jordi Alba- 2008-2012
It was under Unai Emeri at Valencia, that the current Barcelona left-back truly rose to prominence for his attacking displays down the left side of the pitch. A player blessed with immense pace, great close control as well as a sweet left foot, Alba has only established himself as the top left-back in the country, but also as one of the top left-backs in the world.
Alba joined Valencia from Cornella in 2007 and progressed the side’s B division for a season before being loaned out to Gimnàstic de Tarragona, who were plying their trade in the Spanish Segunda division. He enjoyed a rather pleasant start to his footballing career in the Segunda division, featuring 37 times and impressing the hierarchy at Valencia to bring him back and offer him a place in the first team squad.
What followed was three glorious years at the Mestalla Stadium, where he tormented the opposition defenders as well as attackers with his searing pace and creativity.
It came as no surprise when Barcelona made clear their intention of bringing one of the hottest talents in Spain and were duly rewarded for their persistence in the chase of the player when he signed for them at the start of the 2012-13 season.
He continues to impress for the Catalan club and is the first choice for Spain as well. However, it was at Valencia, where he truly shone and established himself as one of the finest full-backs on the Planet.
#4 Juan Mata: 2007-2011
The second man on our list is the Manchester United superstar Juan Mata, who continues to capture our imagination as one of the finest playmakers in the game at the moment. A player who can turn a game on its head with his abilities, Mata is one of the best players to have emerged out of Valencia in recent times.
Mata began his footballing journey at Real Oviedo at the age of 12. However, his skills were soon spotted by the Real Madrid scouts and he made the move to the glamorous club’s academy in 2003, learning the intricacies of the game at one of the best academies in the world. However, the urge to find first team football saw Mata on the move again as he joined Valencia at the start of the 2007 season and established himself as the team’s leading playmaker owing to his abilities as a playmaker.
An ever-present attacking figure for Valencia during his 4 years at the club, Mata made a total of 213 appearances and grabbed 56 goals in the process. With a number of match winning performances to show for during his time at the club he rose to prominence as a footballer and established a stamp of his legacy in the club’s history.
#3 David Silva 2004-2010
There are very few players in the world who possess ability on the ball and the vision on the pitch that the Manchester city superstar possesses. The diminutive playmaker can wriggle his way past defenders without making any fuss and has the ability to put in inch perfect crosses and passes to dismantle even the toughest of defences across the globe.
Silva joined Valencia as a 14-year-old in 2000 and rose rapidly through the club’s academy to establish himself as one of the brightest young talents in Spain. Touted to be the future of the club by the management, he was shipped on a season-long loan to Eibar and Celta Viga in 2004-05 as well as 2005-06 to help him find first team and continue with his development as a footballer and the move yielded rich rewards for the club.
When Silva returned to the club at the beginning of the 2006-07 season, he already had a reputation to maintain as an attacker and the Spaniard did not disappoint. In the four seasons that he was part of the Valencia first team, Silva made 161 appearances and played a key role in the side’s rise to the Spanish football.
Functioning as his side’s creative lynchpin, Silva demonstrated his creative abilities and was soon involved in a big money move to Manchester City, where he continues to enchant us with his displays in the middle of the park.
#2 David Villa: 2005-2010
David Villa had already established himself as one of the top young strikers in Europe when he arrived at Valencia, having bagged 80 goals in 179 appearances for Sporting Gijon and Real Zaragoza. However, it was at Valencia, where he truly upped the ante and made a mark for himself as the leading striker in the league. The ambidextrous player was the leading man at the club, scoring goals for fun and making even the most renowned of defenders look foolish in their attempts to stop him from finding the back of the net.
Featuring on 225 occasions, Villa scored an incredible 129 goals during the process and won the Zarra trophy that is given to the Spanish player with the most goals in the La Liga 4 times during his 5-year tenure at the club. His exploits for Valencia resulted in him becoming Spain’s number one striker and he alongside a formerly glorious Fernando Torres formed one of the deadliest strike partnerships in the world of football.
The 34-year-old has enjoyed several successful stints at Barcelona and Atletico Madrid as well as his current employers New York City winning a number of accolades in the process. However, he has never managed to be as lethal as he was during his time at Valencia.
#1 Pablo Aimar: 2001-2006
The silky Argentine is the only non-Spaniard player on our list. Pablo Aimar began his footballing journey in his homeland Argentine with River Plate and was an instant success at the club. Such were his performances that Valencia were more than willing to break the bank to sign him in January of 2001 for a fee believed to be in the region of €24 million and the player more than justified his price tag with his performances for the Los Che.
Rafa Benitez, the then Valencia manager was impressed by his abilities and immediately instated him in the first team and Aimar repaid his manager’s faith in him by putting in imperious performances to help his side reach the UEFA Champions League finals in 2001. However, it was only in his first full season at Valencia that the world of football witnessed the plethora of skills he possessed as he tore defences apart and helped his club win the La-Liga title despite the presence of heavyweights such as Real Madrid and Barcelona.
While he did win another La-Liga title and the UEFA Cup as well as UEFA Super cup in the 2003-04 season, cracks were beginning to appear between him and the management at Valencia and the player departed the club in 2005 as one of the best to have ever played for Valencia.
Singled out for praise by the legendary Diego Maradona and touted to be the player around whom he has developed his game around, Aimar is one of the best playmakers to have ever graced the game of football.
