Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Adolfo José Valencia Mosquera | ||
Date of birth | 6 February 1968 | ||
Place of birth | Buenaventura, Colombia | ||
Height | 1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in) | ||
Position(s) | Striker | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1988–1993 | Independiente Santa Fe | 159 | (56) |
1993–1994 | Bayern Munich | 26 | (11) |
1994–1995 | Atlético Madrid | 24 | (6) |
1995–1996 | Independiente Santa Fe | 22 | (11) |
1997 | América Cali | 19 | (9) |
1997–1998 | Reggiana | 23 | (4) |
1998–1999 | Independiente Medellín | 22 | (11) |
1999–2000 | PAOK | 27 | (8) |
2000–2001 | MetroStars | 48 | (21) |
2002 | Independiente Santa Fe | 28 | (11) |
2002–2003 | Zhejiang Lucheng | 31 | (14) |
2003 | Unión Maracaibo | 7 | (4) |
2004 | Zhejiang Lucheng | 6 | (0) |
Total | 442 | (166) | |
International career | |||
1992–1998 | Colombia | 37 | (14) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Adolfo José Valencia Mosquera (born 6 February 1968) is a Colombian retired footballer who played as a striker.
Nicknamed El tren (train) due to his powerful physique, he played in seven countries – having one-year spells in Germany and Spain's top flight – and represented Colombia at two World Cups.[1]
Club career
Born in Buenaventura, Valle del Cauca, Valencia started playing with Independiente Santa Fe, where his stellar performances earned him a transfer to Germany's FC Bayern Munich. In his sole season (although he still played the first game of 1994–95), he was instrumental in helping the Bavarians clinch the Bundesliga title, and finished as the team's top scorer alongside Mehmet Scholl, with 11 goals.[2]
Valencia also played one season in Spain, with Atlético Madrid, where he was involved in a serious incident with irascible club president Jesús Gil, while vastly underperforming overall:[3] after a La Liga match at CD Logroñés, the latter said that "The black guy needs to have his throat cut".[4] He subsequently went on to represent, without settling at any club, Independiente Santa Fe, América de Cali, A.C. Reggiana 1919, Independiente Medellín, PAOK FC, NY/NJ MetroStars, Zhejiang Lucheng F.C. and Unión Atlético Maracaibo.
While at Zhejiang, Valencia led the Chinese second division in scoring during the 2003 season.[5] In his debut campaign in the Major League Soccer, he set a team record by scoring 16 league goals, and retired from football in 2004.
International career
Valencia made his debut for Colombia on 31 July 1992, scoring the only goal in a match against the United States at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the Friendship Cup, and proceeded to represent the nation at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cups. In the former edition he netted twice, in group stage defeats to Romania and the United States.
Alongside Bernardo Redín, Valencia was Colombia's all-time topscorer in the World Cup. On 5 September 1993, he was one of three players on target in a 5–0 win in Argentina for the 1994 World Cup qualifiers.[6]
International goals
Scores and results list Colombia's goal tally first.[7]
Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Final | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | 31 July 1992 | Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, United States | ![]() |
1–0 |
1–0 |
Amistad Cup |
2. | 31 March 1993 | Atanasio Girardot, Medellín, Colombia | ![]() |
1–0 |
4–1 | Friendly |
3. | 4–1
| |||||
4. | 8 May 1993 | Orange Bowl, Miami, United States | ![]() |
1–1 |
2–1
| |
5. | 16 June 1993 | 9 de Mayo, Machala, Ecuador | ![]() |
1–0 |
2–1 |
1993 Copa América |
6. | 3 July 1993 | Reales Tamarindos, Portoviejo, Ecuador | ![]() |
1–0 |
1–0
| |
7. | 15 August 1993 | Metropolitano Roberto Melendez, Barranquilla, Colombia | ![]() |
2–0 |
2–1 |
1994 World Cup qualification |
8. | 5 September 1993 | Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti, Buenos Aires, Argentina | ![]() |
5–0 |
||
9. | 3 June 1994 | Foxboro Stadium, Foxborough, United States | ![]() |
2–0 |
2–0 |
Friendly |
10. | 18 June 1994 | Rose Bowl, Pasadena, United States | ![]() |
1–2 |
1–3 |
1994 FIFA World Cup |
11. | 22 June 1994 | Rose Bowl, Pasadena, United States | ![]() |
1–2 |
1–2
| |
12. | 21 March 1996 | Guillermo Plazas Alcid, Neiva, Colombia | ![]() |
2–0 |
3–0 |
Friendly |
13. | 28 March 1996 | Atanasio Girardot, Medellín, Colombia | ![]() |
1–1 |
4–1 | |
14. | 4–1
|
Personal life
Valencia's son, José Adolfo, was also a footballer and a striker. He played mostly for Independiente Santa Fe, and represented Colombia at under-20 level.[8]
Honours
Club
Bayern Munich
América Cali
- Categoría Primera A: 1997
Maracaibo
Individual
References
- ^ "La última estación de "El Tren" Valencia" ["The Train" Valencia's last station]. El País (in Spanish). 28 February 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
- ^ "Adolfo Valencia – der Entlauber!" [Adolfo Valencia – the defoliator!] (in German). Doktor Fussball. 24 April 2007. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
- ^ "El fichaje estrellado: El 'Tren' Valencia" [Crashed signing: The 'Train' Valencia] (in Spanish). Merca Fútbol. 6 January 2010. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
- ^ "Los excesos de Gil en los medios" [Gil's media excesses]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 14 May 2004. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
- ^ Lewis, Tom (18 April 2004). "China 2003". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 24 September 2010.
- ^ "Argentina 0–5 Colombia: The most famous World Cup qualifier of all time (classic clashes)". The Hard Tackle. 15 October 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
- ^ Adolfo Jose Valencia; at 11v11
- ^ ""El trenecito" Valencia ficha por el Feirense de Portugal" ["Little train" Valencia signs for Portugal's Feirense]. El Colombiano (in Spanish). 8 July 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
- ^ "2000 MLS All-Star Game". MLSsoccer.com. 29 July 2000. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
External links
- Adolfo Valencia at fussballdaten.de (in German)
- Adolfo Valencia at BDFutbol
- Adolfo Valencia at National-Football-Teams.com
- Adolfo Valencia – FIFA competition record (archived)