Enner Valencia

2.1. C.S. Emelec

Valencia began his professional career with Emelec in Guayaquil, joining their youth system in 2008 from Caribe Junior, the same team where Ecuadorian star Antonio Valencia started his career. Initially, from 2008 to early 2010, Valencia struggled to get opportunities in the first team. However, with the arrival of Argentine coach Jorge Sampaoli, he began to receive more playing time. In 2010, Emelec finished as runners-up to champions L.D.U. Quito, losing 2-1 on aggregate.

Valencia's performance steadily improved, and in 2011, he scored nine league goals in 30 matches. In November 2012, he had a particularly strong run, scoring five goals in five separate matches against El Nacional, LDU Loja, Técnico Universitario, and twice against Manta in both home and away fixtures. This brought his total for the season to 13 goals in 40 league matches, marking his best season yet, though Emelec finished as runner-up to rivals Barcelona SC for the third consecutive season.

The 2013 season proved to be a breakthrough. On August 7, 2013, Valencia scored his first career hat-trick against Peruvian side Sport Huancayo in a dominant 4 0 victory during the 2013 Copa Sudamericana first round match. He finished the season as a league champion with Emelec, securing the club's first league title since 2002. His five goals in the Copa Sudamericana also made him the competition's top scorer that year.

2.2. C.F. Pachuca

Following his impressive performances at Emelec, Valencia drew significant interest from Liga MX club Pachuca, and a transfer was agreed upon. He quickly made an impact, scoring his first goal for Pachuca on January 18, 2014, in a 2 1 victory against Tijuana. The following week, he netted two goals in Pachuca's first away league win against league champions Club León, securing a 3 1 victory.

Valencia concluded the regular season as the top goal-scorer in the 2014 Clausura tournament with 12 goals, often scoring multiple goals in single matches. In the 2014 Liga MX Clausura play-offs, he scored his first hat-trick for Pachuca against UNAM in a 4 2 away win, which advanced his team to the semifinals. On May 15, he scored a crucial goal that led his team to a 3 2 away victory in the first leg of the Liga MX Final.

2.3. West Ham United

On July 29, 2014, Premier League club West Ham United completed the transfer of Valencia from Pachuca. He signed a five-year contract, with the fee estimated at 12.00 M GBP. Valencia later admitted that he knew little about West Ham before signing, mainly recognizing the club from having watched hooligan films like the 2005 movie Green Street.

Valencia made his West Ham debut on August 16, 2014, in a 1 0 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, coming on as an 81st-minute substitute. On August 27, in a League Cup match against Sheffield United, his penalty kick was saved, leading to West Ham's elimination.

His first goal for West Ham came in his full league debut against Hull City on September 15, 2014, in a 2 2 draw. This remarkable strike, from 25 yd and timed at 61 mph, was widely praised by journalists. Valencia continued his scoring form in the following weeks, including a header in a 3 1 away win at Burnley and another goal in a 2 2 draw with Stoke City.

The 2015-16 season began on July 30, 2015, in a Europa League qualifying match against Astra Giurgiu, where he scored West Ham's opening goal in a 2 2 draw. However, he was substituted in the first half due to an injury. It was confirmed that he had suffered "significant" injuries to his right knee and ankle, ruling him out for twelve weeks. Despite the injury setback, Valencia scored his first league goals of the 2015-16 season with a brace in a 3 1 comeback victory against AFC Bournemouth on January 12, 2016, which included a powerfully struck free-kick.

2.4. Everton (loan)

On August 31, 2016, Valencia moved to Everton on a season-long loan, which included an option for a permanent transfer of 14.50 M GBP in the summer of 2017. He scored his first league goal for Everton on January 2, 2017, in a 3 0 home win against Southampton, finishing from close range.

2.5. Tigres UANL

On July 13, 2017, Valencia returned to Mexico, signing with Tigres UANL for a fee of 4.20 M USD. During his tenure at Tigres, he achieved significant domestic success, winning the Apertura 2017 and Clausura 2019 Liga MX titles. He also played a key role in Tigres reaching the final of the 2019 CONCACAF Champions League, where they finished as runner-up. In the same competition, Valencia was awarded the Golden Boot, having scored seven goals. Additionally, he won the 2018 Campeones Cup with the club, but was a runner-up in the 2019 Campeón de Campeones and the 2019 Leagues Cup.

2.6. Fenerbahçe S.K.

Valencia moved to Turkey on August 28, 2020, signing for Süper Lig club Fenerbahçe on a free transfer. In his first season, 2020-21, he scored 12 goals in 34 league matches, helping Fenerbahçe to a third-place finish.

In the 2021-22 season, on August 26, 2021, he scored his first hat-trick for the team against HJK Helsinki in the 2021-22 UEFA Europa League qualifying play-offs, contributing to a 5 2 victory that secured Fenerbahçe's place in the group stage. He finished the season with 13 goals across 33 matches in all competitions.

The 2022-23 season was particularly prolific for Valencia under coach Jorge Jesus. He started strongly, recording braces against Ümraniyespor, Kasımpaşa, and Adana Demirspor in his first three league matches. On January 15, 2023, he scored another brace against Gaziantep. His goal-scoring prowess continued with his first league hat-trick against Karagümrük in a thrilling 5 4 victory on October 9, 2022. On January 29, 2023, he scored an impressive four goals against Kasımpaşa, leading Fenerbahçe to a 5 1 win. He also registered braces against Konyaspor and Alanyaspor. Valencia ended the season as the top scorer in the Süper Lig with 29 goals, and also won the Turkish Cup with Fenerbahçe in his final season with the club.

2.7. SC Internacional

On June 12, 2023, Valencia signed a three-year contract with Brazilian Série A club Internacional on a free transfer. He made his debut for the Colorado club on July 9, starting in a 2 0 loss to Fluminense at Maracanã, where he had a discreet performance.

He scored his first goal for Internacional on August 1, but it was not enough to prevent a 2 1 comeback defeat to River Plate at Monumental de Nuñez in a Copa Libertadores Round of 16 match. After advancing against River Plate, Internacional faced Bolívar in a Copa Libertadores quarter-final in La Paz. In that match, Valencia received a pass from Alan Patrick and advanced alone, scoring with a powerful shot into the lower right corner, becoming a hero in Internacional's high-altitude victory, alongside goalkeeper Rochet.

3.1. Debut and Early Years

After representing Ecuador's under-22 team at the 2011 Pan American Games, Valencia made his debut for the senior Ecuador national team on February 12, 2012, in a friendly against Honduras. He initially began his career as a winger, but was successfully converted to play as a striker by Emelec coach Gustavo Quinteros. Ecuador's national team coach Reinaldo Rueda further experimented with Valencia in the striker role following the untimely death of teammate 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 November 19, 2013. He carried his strong form into 2014, scoring in three of Ecuador's four pre-tournament friendlies. On March 5, 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.

3.2. FIFA World Cup Appearances

Valencia was named in Ecuador's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. On June 15, he made his FIFA 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 group match, Valencia scored both goals, leading his team to a crucial 2 1 victory over Honduras in Curitiba.

He continued his good form after the 2014 World Cup, scoring the third goal in a 4 0 victory against Bolivia on September 6, 2014. On October 10, Valencia again found the net for Ecuador in the 88th minute against the United States, ending in a 1 1 draw. His swerving, right-footed shot was described as defying physics and was impossible for goalkeeper Brad Guzan to stop.

Valencia was also a key member of the Ecuadorian squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, serving as captain. In the opening game of the tournament, on November 20, 2022, he scored the first goal of the entire competition from a penalty. Valencia went on to score both of Ecuador's goals in their 2 0 win over tournament hosts Qatar at Al Bayt Stadium. In doing so, he became Ecuador's record goalscorer at World Cup final tournaments, with five goals. On November 25, 2022, Valencia scored in a 1 1 tie against the Netherlands, making him the first South American player to score six consecutive times in the World Cup. His contributions cemented his status as a national hero. On September 10, 2024, he scored the only goal in a 1 0 victory over Peru in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

3.3. Copa América Appearances

Valencia has represented Ecuador in multiple Copa América tournaments. In Ecuador's second group match at the 2015 Copa América in Chile, Valencia had a penalty saved by Romel Quiñónez after a re-take due to an infringement, but later scored from close range in a 3 2 loss to Bolivia. Four days later in Rancagua, Valencia set up Miller Bolaños' opener and scored Ecuador's second goal as they won 2 1 against Mexico, eliminating their opponents from the competition. He also participated in the Copa América Centenario in 2016, the 2019 Copa América (scoring one goal against Chile in a 1 2 loss on June 21), the 2021 Copa América, and the 2024 Copa América.

3.4. All-time Top Scorer

On October 8, 2021, in a 2022 World Cup qualification match against Bolivia, Valencia scored his 32nd and 33rd international goals. This achievement saw him surpass Agustín Delgado's record of 31 goals, making him the Ecuador national team's all-time leading goal scorer. He has since extended this record to 44 goals.

5.1. Club Statistics

5.2. International Statistics

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

6.1. Club Honours

• Ecuadorian Serie A:
  • Winner: 2013 (Emelec)
  • Runner-up: 2010, 2011, 2012 (Emelec)
• Liga MX:
  • Winner: Apertura 2017, Clausura 2019 (Tigres UANL)
  • Runner-up: 2014 Clausura (Pachuca)
• CONCACAF Champions League:
  • Runner-up: 2019 (Tigres UANL)
• Campeones Cup:
  • Winner: 2018 (Tigres UANL)
• Campeón de Campeones:
  • Runner-up: 2019 (Tigres UANL)
• Leagues Cup:
  • Runner-up: 2019 (Tigres UANL)
• Süper Lig:
  • Runner-up: 2021-22 (Fenerbahçe)
  • Third place: 2020-21 (Fenerbahçe)
• Turkish Cup:
  • Winner: 2022-23 (Fenerbahçe)

6.2. Individual Honours

• Ecuadorian Serie A Best Player: 2013
• Copa Sudamericana Top Scorer: 2013 (5 goals)
• Liga MX Top Scorer: 2014 Clausura (12 goals)
• Liga MX Best XI: 2017 Apertura
• CONCACAF Champions League Golden Boot: 2019 (7 goals)
• CONCACAF Champions League Team of the Tournament: 2019
• FIFA World Cup Man of the Match: vs. Honduras (2014 Group Stage)
• Süper Lig Top Scorer: 2022-23 (29 goals)
• Süper Lig Team of the Season: 2022-23

7.1. Public Image and Legacy

Enner Valencia is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players in Ecuadorian history. His consistent goal-scoring prowess at both club and international levels, particularly his record-breaking performances in the FIFA World Cup and his status as Ecuador's all-time top international goal scorer, have cemented his place as a national icon. His journey from a poverty-stricken childhood to achieving global football recognition serves as an inspiration, reflecting his resilience and dedication to the sport. His influence extends beyond his on-field achievements, as he represents the potential for players from humble backgrounds to reach the pinnacle of professional football.

7.2. Controversies and Criticisms

Valencia's career has not been without its challenges and controversies. A notable incident occurred in October 2016, when an arrest warrant was issued against him in Ecuador for unpaid child support. This situation gained international media attention when Valencia was reportedly seen leaving a World Cup qualifier in an ambulance, allegedly to avoid police and the arrest warrant. In August 2020, a distressing incident occurred when his sister, Erci, was kidnapped by an armed gang in San Lorenzo. She was held hostage for 10 days before being released unharmed, highlighting the serious personal adversities Valencia and his family have faced.