Alfredo Valente

Alfredo Valente (born November 6, 1980) is a former Canadian soccer midfielder who formerly played for the Vancouver Whitecaps of the USL First Division (USL-1). Valente played 11 seasons with the 86ers/Whitecaps organization, winning USL championships with the club in 2006 and 2008. He also played indoor soccer with the Edmonton Drillers of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) early in his professional career. Internationally, Valente has represented Canada with the under-18, under-20 and under-23 national teams.

Valente attended and graduated from Alpha Secondary School in Burnaby, where he also played for the high school's soccer club, the Aztecs, leading them to a provincial championship.

Club career Valente was drafted by the Vancouver 86ers (renamed to the Whitecaps in 2001) as the club's top pick in the 1998 A-League Player Draft. After finishing with the second best regular season record in 2008, the Whitecaps won their second USL championship in three years, defeating the Puerto Rico Islanders 2–1 at Swangard Stadium on October 12, 2008. Valente was instrumental in the Whitecaps first goal in the 56th minute, directing a corner into the Islanders' box, where Charles Gbeke headed the ball in.

Several months later, Valente was released by the Whitecaps, as the club chose against his 2009 contract option, on December 8, 2008, along with fellow veterans Steve Kindel and Jeff Clarke. Club president Bob Lenarduzzi and coach Thordarson cited "philosophical differences" for the roster changes. Valente left the Whitecaps second all-time in franchise assists. At the end of the 2008 season, Valente, Kindel and Clarke, all long-time members of the club, had voiced their concerns over Thordarson's coaching style in separate one-on-one meetings with him.

Following his release from the Whitecaps, Valente rejoined the Coquitlam Metro-Ford Wolves of the Vancouver Metro Soccer League's Premier Division in 2009. He has been involved with CMFSC, his old youth and amateur soccer club, since 2005 as youth coach and head coach of technical operations, as well.

International career Valente has represented Canada with the under-18, under-20 and Olympic under-23 national teams. and the U-20s several months later in August 1998. The following year, he was chosen to represent Canada at the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg.

Personal life Alfredo is married to Kristen Valente and has a son, Noah, born on December 19, 2007.

Honors

Vancouver Whitecaps USL First Division Championship (2): 2006, 2008 Named Vancouver 86ers Top Rookie in 1998. Led Vancouver Whitecaps in goals (10) in 2000. Led Vancouver Whitecaps in assists (10) in 2002. Won a USL First Division championship in 2006 and 2008.