Julian Valentin

American soccer player
Julian Valentin
Personal information
Full name Julian Edward Valentin[1]
Date of birth (1987-02-23) February 23, 1987 (age 37)
Place of birth Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Position(s) Defender
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2007 Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2009 Los Angeles Galaxy 1 (0)
2009 → Cleveland City Stars (loan) 7 (1)
2010 FC Tampa Bay 29 (2)
Total 37 (3)
International career
2003–2004 United States U17 11 (0)
2005–2007 United States U20 25 (0)
2006–2008 United States U23 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Julian Valentin (born February 23, 1987) is an American retired professional soccer player.

Career

Amateur

A four-year starter at Wake Forest University, Valentin appeared in 84 games from 2003-2007.[2] Named NSCAA First Team All-South and Second Team All-America, Soccer America First-Team All-American and All-ACC First Team in 2006, Valentin was also named to ESPN's Academic All-District III team and was one of three NCAA starters on U-20 Men's National Team.[3] Valentin captained the Demon Deacons to their first NCAA National Championship title in 2007 and famously took a cleat to the face in the final minutes of the game.[4]

Professional

Valentin was selected by the Los Angeles Galaxy with the 29th overall pick in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft.[5] With the MLS Reserve Division having been scrapped at the end of 2008, the LA Galaxy loaned Valentin to Cleveland City Stars in the USL First Division on May 15, 2009.[6]

Valentin signed with USSF Division 2 club FC Tampa Bay on 5 February 2010[7] and was named club captain on 6 April 2010.[8]

On 3 February 2011, Valentin officially retired from professional play and accepted a job with the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball.[9][10] Valentin is of Puerto Rican descent.[11] Valentin is the older brother of Zarek Valentin of Portland Timbers[12] and brother in-law of Taylor Kemp of D.C. United.[13][14]

References

  1. ^ "FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 – List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. p. 23. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 31, 2013. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
  2. ^ "Wake Forest Men's Soccer History & Records" (PDF). Wake Forest. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-05-17. Retrieved 2014-05-16.
  3. ^ "Julian Valentin Bio - Wake Forest Men's Soccer - WakeForestSports.com". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2014-05-16.
  4. ^ "And then There Were Four… | the Shin Guardian". Archived from the original on 2014-05-17. Retrieved 2014-05-16.
  5. ^ "Espn Fc". Archived from the original on 2014-06-07. Retrieved 2014-05-16.
  6. ^ "City Stars Add Two Before Taking On Minnesota Thunder Saturday at 8:05 p.m. - OurSports Central". www.oursportscentral.com. 15 May 2009.
  7. ^ "Soccer Insider - Friday kickaround".
  8. ^ "FC Tampa Bay soccer - Tribune Staff: Valentin excited to be named Rowdies captain - from TBO.com Sports". Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2010-05-02.
  9. ^ Valentin, Julian (3 February 2011). "Trading in cleats for wingtips. I've accepted a job with the Colorado Rockies organization. Excited to use my other skills and move on".
  10. ^ "Chivas USA selects Zarek Valentin and Victor Estupiñan in first round of MLS SuperDraft". Our Sports Central. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  11. ^ "Chivas USA selects Zarek Valentin and Victor Estupiñan in first round of MLS SuperDraft - OurSports Central". www.oursportscentral.com. 13 January 2011.
  12. ^ "Portland Timbers acquire defender Zarek Valentin from Montreal Impact". 12 January 2016.
  13. ^ Valentin, Julian (17 January 2013). "What a day; @dcunited got a good one! Here's @Tkemp02 demonstrating the angst & joy that is the @MLS #SuperDraft".
  14. ^ Valentin, Julian (1 December 2012). "And let's not forget about my brother @Tkemp02 who is headed to the Final Four!".

External links