Joel Valencia

César Joel Valencia Castillo (born 16 November 1994) is an Ecuadorian footballer who plays as a winger for Liga okręgowa club Partyzant Leszno.

Valencia is a product of the Real Zaragoza academy and later played in Slovenia and Poland, rising to prominence in the latter country with Piast Gliwice. Following four years in England with Brentford, during which he predominantly played away on loan, he returned to Poland in 2023, where he played for Zagłębie Sosnowiec and Znicz Pruszków until his retirement from professional football in 2026. Valencia was capped by Spain and Ecuador at U17 level.

Club career

Spain A winger, Valencia joined the Real Zaragoza academy in 2005, at age 11. By 2011, he had progressed into the club's reserve team and was called into the first team squad on three occasions during the 2011–12 season. before departing La Romareda to join Segunda División B club Logroñés in August 2014. He remained with Logroñés until January 2016 and made 54 appearances for the club, scoring one goal. He made 28 appearances and scored two goals during 18 months at the Bonifika Stadium, Valencia was a part of the club's 2018–19 Ekstraklasa-winning team and his exploits were recognised with the Ekstraklasa and Polish Union of Footballers Player of the Year awards and a place in the Polish Union of Footballers Team of the Year. By the time of his departure in late July 2019, Despite making 23 appearances and scoring one goal, Valencia's 24th and final Brentford appearance came as a late substitute in the opening match of the 2020–21 season. He played for Polish Ekstraklasa club Legia Warsaw, Spanish Segunda División club AD Alcorcón and Dutch Eerste Divisie club De Graafschap. Valencia suffered a plethora of injury problems and made a combined 51 appearances for the three clubs.

Return to Poland On 14 July 2023, Valencia returned to Poland to sign a two-year contract with I liga club Zagłębie Sosnowiec on a free transfer. He made 26 appearances and scored one goal during the 2023–24 season, Valencia made 32 appearances and scored two goals during a mid-table 2024–25 season. He suffered a lung contusion during the final match of the season, on which he underwent surgery. Valencia was released when his contract expired and he made 58 appearances and scored one goal during his two seasons with the club.

In September 2025, Valencia began training with I liga club Znicz Pruszków. He was announced as the club's player on 3 October and signed an undisclosed-length contract on a free transfer. Valencia made just three appearances prior to the termination of his contract by mutual consent on 14 January 2026.

In March 2026, Valencia announced his retirement from professional football and transferred to Liga okręgowa club Partyzant Leszno. He made 14 appearances during the remainder of a mid-table 2025–26 season.

International career Valencia was capped by Spain and Ecuador at U17 level. He was a part of Ecuador's 2011 FIFA U17 World Cup squad and made three appearances at the tournament.

Career statistics

Honours Piast Gliwice Ekstraklasa: 2018–19

Individual Ekstraklasa Player of the Year: 2018–19 Ekstraklasa Midfielder of the Year: 2018–19 Polish Union of Footballers Player of the Year: 2018–19 Polish Union of Footballers Team of the Year: 2018–19