Valencia All-time team for Spanish Players

Gaizka Mendieta and Santi Canizares 

Please also see my All-Time World Cup Team Index.
Real Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia,
Atletico Madrid, Sevilla, Atletic Bilbao, 
Deportivo La Coruna  Real Sociedad,
Real Betis, Real Zaragoza, Espanyol
Valencia All-Time Team for Foreign Players
Valencian Community

This is my selection of a 25 member all-time team for the club.  The number 25 was chosen because it is the official squad size for the Champions' League.


Valencia is among the most successful clubs in Spain.  In 1980, they won a Cup Winners' Cup.  Then, in the 2000's, the team reached its Golden period.  They won two La Liga titles.  In 2003-2004 season, they won the Double: La Liga and the UEFA Cup.  They also reached the Champions' league two years in a row. They won back-to-back Fairs Cup in 1962 and 1963. 

Ricardo  Arias and Miguel Tendillo

 Team

GK: Santiago Canizares 

Santiago Canizares was a youth product of Real Madrid. He went to Valencia in 1998, where he led them to two Champions' league Final and winning the 2004 UEFA Cup.  He won Ricardo Zamora Trophy 4 times: 1992–93 (shared), 2000–01, 2001–02, 2003–04. He received 46 caps. He also spent two seasons with Celta. He went to six major international tournaments, but was mainly used as a backup, except at the European Championship in 2000.

GK: Ignacio Eizaguirre
Ignacio Eizaguirre started his career after the Spanish Civil War in 1939 with Real Sociedad.  He played one season and moved to Valencia in 1940.  From 1940 to 1950, ge won three La Liga titles and two Ricardo Zamora trophies for being the best goalkeeper of the season with Valencia.  He also played for Osasuna. At the international level, he earned 18 caps. He was the starting keeper for Spain at the World Cup finals in 1950.

Ignacio Eizaguirre

GK: José Manuel Sempere (Spain)

Sempere finished his youth career with local giants Valencia CF, making his senior debut with RCD Español on loan (no official appearances). Returned to the Che in the summer of 1980, one of his first games was the season's UEFA Super Cup second leg, with the side winning the competition against Nottingham Forest and him being the youngest ever goalkeeper to win that tournament, a record broken 22 years later by Iker Casillas of Real Madrid.

RB: Quique Sánchez Flores 

Quique began his professional career with Valencia in 1984, spending 10 seasons over there.  He then spent 2 seasons with Real Madrid before moving to Zaragoza, retiring in 1997. Internationally, he represented Spain at under-18, under-21 and under-23 levels, appearing with the senior side at the 1990 World Cup. Between 1987 and 1991, he had 15 caps for Spain.  His father also played for Real Madrid in the 1960's as a rightback.

RB: Juan Sol

From 1965 to 1975, Juan Sol was a player for Valencia. In 1975, he transferred to Real Madrid, where he secured three league titles over a four-year period (1975-1979). Following his successful stint at Real Madrid, he rejoined Valencia CF, playing for them from 1979 to 1981. During this period, he achieved victories in the European Cup Winners' Cup and the European Super Cup. Juan Sol concluded his professional football career at Valencia in 1981.

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SW: Ricardo Penella Arias 
Ricardo Penella Arias spent 15 seasons out his 16 professional seasons with Valencia and payed 377 matches, winning the 1980 Cup Winners' Cup.  He followed the club to the lower division as it relegated after the 1985-1986 season.  He also played in CD Castellon for one season before retiring. For the Spanish national team, he only played a single game for Spain in 1979 against Portugal.

CB: Miguel Tendillo 
Tendillo started his career with local Valencia CF, being an automatic first-choice since the age of 18 in 1979, winning the 1980 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.  He played there until 1986. After a single season with Real Murcia,  he joined Real Madrid in 1987.  Tendillo earned his first cap for Spain in 1980 before hwas 20. Subsequently, he was called for that year's European Championship and the 1982 World Cup, appearing in a total of 27 matches.

CB: Carlos Marchena 
In his club career, Carlos Marchena played for Benfica, Sevilla, Valencia, Villareal and Deportivo La Coruna. His peak came with Valencia between 2001 and 2010, where he won the Double in 2002-2003 season.  For the national team, he had 69 caps between 2002 and 2011.  He was a starter at European Championship in 2008 where Spain won its first major trophy since 1964. He also played at Euro 2004 and two World Cup Finals.  In 2010, he was a member of the World Cup winning team.

Carlos Marchena

CB: Quincoces II

Juan Carlos Diaz Quincoes is the nephew of the legendary defender and coach Jacinto Quincoces, from whom he inherited the football nickname.  He was better known as Quincoes II.  He made his debut under his uncle for Valencia in 1953.  He would play for the same club until 1964.  he then played two seasons for Real Murcia.  For Spain, he played 8 times between 1957 and 1959.

LB: Juan Ramon Santiago
Juan Raom started his career with Deportivo Alavés in the first division before making his name with  Gimnástico FC in the 3rd division.  In 1934, he joined Valencia.  After the Civil War, he continued with the club, where he retired in 1952.  With the club, he won three league titles and two Copa del Generalissimo.  In 1950, he won la Medalla al Mérito Deportivo of RFEF.  He was also capped twice, debuting in 1942.

LB/CB: Manuel Mestre
Manuel Mestre estre was born in 1935.  He made his debut with Valencia as a 21 years old in 1956, where he played 14 seasons.  At one point, he was Valencia's all-time appearance record holder until Ricardo Arias.  For the international level, he played twice for Spain in 1959 and 1961 respectively. The two matches were against Austria and Morocco.

DM: Antonio Puchades
From 1949 to 1958, Antonio Puchades played for his hometown Valencia, which should be his only club. He won the only league title in his debut season, but he only played 4 games that season.  For Spain, he received 23 caps between 1949 and 1954, and went to the 1950 World Cup Finals, starting every game. Spain finished 4th in Brazil. The main stadium of the Ciudad Deportiva de Paterna is named after him, the Antonio Puchades Stadium.

Antonio Puchades

DM/CM: David Albelda 
Except for two loan spells, David Albelda played his entire career with Valencia.  He was the heart and soul of the team that won two legaue title, an UEFA Cup and two runnerup medals at the Champions' league.  He was known for his midfield partnership with Ruben Baraja. He also served as their captain from 2001.  He was capped 51 times for Spain. He went to two World Cup Finals and a single European Championship.  He narrowly missed the European Championship in 2008, where Spain won their first major trophy since 1964.

CM: Ruben Baraja 

Baraja started his career with Real Valladolid in 1993 and moved to Atletico Madrid.  Atletico Madrid relegated after the 1999-2000 season which allowed him to join Valencia and his career took off.  Forming a midfield with David Albelda, Valencia won two La Liga titles and the 2004 UEFA Cup.  He was also a part of the losing side at the Champions' league Final in 2001.  He earned 43 caps between 2000 and 2005.  He played in World Cuo 2002 and Euro 2004.

Ruben Baraja 

CM: Jose Claramunt 
From 1966 to 1978, Jose "Paco" Claramunt played for his only club, Valencia.  He won the league title in the 1970-71 season, but also lost three Copa del Rey Finals in row during the early 1970's.  He earned 23 caps, six of which as the captain, but he never played in any major international tournament. His brother Enrique also played for Valencia at the same time.  His hometown club UD Puçol's ground was named Estadio José Claramunt in his honour.

RW: Epi
Epi started with Real Sociedad. From 1940 to 1949, Epi played with Valencia, where he was known for playing with Asensi, Amadeo, Mundo and Gorostiza., where Valencia dominated the decade.  Later, he played with Real Sociedad between 1949 and 1955.  At the international level, he made his debut in 1941 against Portugal, where he would gain 15 caps between 1941 and 1949.

LW: Vicente Rodriguez 
Vicente moved to Valencia from Levante in 2000.  He was a part of the great team that won two League titles and the 2004 UEFA Cup. At his peak, he was among the best wingers in the world, but his injuries limited his career.  He later played with Brighton & Hove Albion for two seasons in England at the end of his career. For the national team, he only managed 38 caps between 2002 and 2005. He only made it to Euro 2004. He won the Don Balon Award in the 2003-2004 season.

Vicente Rodriguez 

LB/LW/MF: Vicente Asensi 

Asensi spent all his career with Valencia CF where he played 308 games and scored 33 goals. Together with Epi, Amadeo, Mundo and Gorostiza they made up one of the best attacks in the 1940s. He played as left winger during most of his career but was moved further back as he grew older and ended up playing as a defender. At international level, he also gained six caps with Spain between 1945 and 1950.

AM/RM: Gaizka Mendieta 
Gaizka Mendieta was a big star while playing for Valencia between 1993 and 2001.  He led them to back-to-back Champions' League Final in 2000 and 2001.  He moved to Lazio in 2001, but he failed to find his form.  Then, he played one season with Barcelona, where the club only finished 6th at the league.  He would also play with Middesbrough FC. He earned 40 caps. He went to Euro 2000 and the World Cup Finals in 2002.

AM/FW/RW/RB/CM: Miguel Ángel Angulo

 Angulo began his football career with local Sporting de Gijón B, but he spent most of his career with Valencia, where he won a total of seven major titles, including two La Liga championships and the 2004 UEFA Cup.. He had a brief loan spell with Villarreal and played a few games for Sporting CP for a few games at the end of his career. He played 11 times for Spain between 2004 and 2007.

AM: Fernando Gomez Colomer 
Better known as Fernando, he has the appearance record and 4th highest scorer for Valencia. He made his professional debut wuth them as a 18 years old. He was voted the best player in La Liga for 1988 and 1989.  He also played for English First Division side Wolverhampton Wanderers at the end of his career for a single season. He played 8 times for Spain.  He went to the World Cup Finals in 1990 for Spain, making a single appearance in the Finals against South Korea.

Fernando

AM/LM: David Silva 
David Silva became a starter at Valencia in 2006 which forced Palbo Aimar to leave the club.  In 2010, he joined Manchester City helping the club to win their first Preimership in over 40 years. For Spain, he had over 120 caps from 2006 onward.  He was a key player throughout the period as Spain won the "triple crown": two European Championship and a World Cup.  He also represented Spain at every major tournament from 2008 onward.

ST: Manuel Badenes
Badenes started his career at CD Castellón. His first season at the club saw him score four goals in ten games which resulted in a move to Barcelona in 1947. He spent two season at the club, winning two La Liga titles before moving to Valencia in 1950. He scored 90 goals in 97 games at Valencia before moving to Real Valladolid, where he won the Pichichi trophy awarded to the top scorer in La Liga in 1958.

ST: Mundo 
Edmundo Suárez Trabanco was known as Mundo.  He is the highest scorer in Valencia's history and remained one of the top scorers in La Liga's history.  He started his career with Athletic Bilbao, playing a single game before the Spanish Civil War cut short his stay.  He played for Valencia after the War between 1939 and 1950.  He was capped 3 times between 1941 and 1942.  As of 2009, he was one of the Top 10 all-time goal scorers in the Spanish La Liga, with 195 goals during 231 appearances.

ST: David Villa 
David Villa is the all-time leading scorer for Spain.  He was known for a part of the Golden Generation for Spain, where Spain won three straight international titles: Euro 2008, the World Cup 2010 and Euro 2012. He was the Golden Boot winner at Euro 2008 and the Silver boot in the 2010 World Cup Finals.  He was best remembered for his club career with Valencia. He also played for Barcelona, Seville and New York City FC.

David Villa

Honorable Mention
José Luis Manzanedo, José Manuel Ochotorena, Andoni Zubizarreta, Pep Balaguer, Jose Gaya, José Carrete, Raul Aboil, Fenando Giner, Paco Camarasa, Juan Ramon, Alvaro Perez, Salvador Monzó, Pasieguito, Paquito, Juan Mata, Gerald Lopez, Eduardo Cubells, Paquito, Daniel Parejo,  Joaquin, Ricardo Alós, , Roberto Fernandez, Mista, Enrique Saura, Guillermo Campanal, Daniel Parejo,Vicente Segui, Vicente Asensi, Vicente Guillot, Eloy, Guillermo Gorostiza, Mista, Roberto Fernandez, Arturo Montesinos

Squad Explanation   

-- The original team was cteatyed in 2019.  I redid it in October, 2024.

-- David Villa, David Silva, Santiago Canizares, Ignacio Eizaguirre, , Ricardo Penella Arias, Miguel Tendillo, Carlos Marchena, Antonio Puchades, David Albelda, Ruben Baraja,  Jose Claramunt, Vicente Rodriguez, Gaizka Mendieta, Fernando and Mundo are on my all-time for Valencia.

-- In 1980, Valencia won the Cup Winners' Cup, their first major trophy in Europe. I selected Ricardo Penella Arias and Miguel Tendillo from that team.

Cup Winners Cup 1980

-- From 1999 up until the end of the 2004 season, Valencia had one of their most successful periods in the club's history. With a total of two La Liga titles, one UEFA Cup, one Copa del Rey, and one UEFA Super Cup in those six years. That generation had the best record in Europe.  The following players I selected came from that period: Santiago Canizares, Gaizka Mendieta, Ruben Baraja, David Albelda, Roberto Ayala, Vicente Rodriguez and Carlos Marchena.  Both David Silva and David Villa came up in the mid-2000's. They just missed this generation, but they won Copa del Rey in the 2007-2008 season.

-- In 2019, Marca created an ideal Best XI for Valencia for their centenary celebration. Their lineup was as followed: Santiago Canizares, Ricardo Aries, Roberto Ayala, Quincoces, Ruben Baraja, David Albelda, Jose Claramunt, Antonio Puchades, Fernando, Mario Kempes and Mundo.  The newspaper also held a fan poll to determine the greatest All-Time team as voted by fans.  The following players emerged as the top choices: Santiago Canizares, Quique Flores, Mauricio Pellegrino, Roberto Ayala, Amedeo Carboni, David Albelda, Gaizka Mendieta, Pablo Aimar, David Silva, David Villa and Mario Kempes.

-- In 2024, ESdiario ranked the top 10 players for Valencia in the following order: 1) Mario Kempes, 2) Antonio Puchades, 3) Mundo, 4) David Villa, 5) Rubén Baraja, 6) Waldo, 7) Gaizka Mendieta, 8) Santiago Cañizares, 9) Roberto Ayala and 10) Fernando. 

-- In the 1940's, Valencia had a great team.  Mundo formed the famous line with Vicente Asensi a alongside Epi, Amadeo and Guillermo Gorostiza in the 1940's.  They won La Liga three times during that decade (1941–42, 1943–44, 1946–47) and were runners-up twice, and claimed the Copa del Rey on two occasions (1941, 1948–49) from five appearances in the final.  Mundo, Vicente Asensi and Epi were included on this team alongside goalkeeper Ignacio Eizaguirre  and defender Juan Ramon.

1943-1944 League Champion

-- I had both Vicente Asensi and Vicente Rodriguez on this team.  Vicente Asensi played with Mundo, Epi, Amadeo and Guillermo Gorostiza in the 1940's.  Meanwhile, Vicente Rodriguez was a big part of the 2000's generation. Valencia had a few other great "Vicente". Vicente Guillot formed a lethal partnership with Waldo in the 1960's, but I do not have space for him. Vicente Segui is the top assist provider in the history of Valencia CF, having given 102 assists in 309 games with the club.  I believe the name "Vicente" is very common in Spain.  However, besides Vicente del Bosque, I could not think of another famous footballer named "Vicente".  He never played for Valencia.

-- This team also had three David's.  They were David Albelda, David Villa and David Silva. They played together with the club.  All three players made the team.  Apparently, "David" was a popular name in Spain even through I don't usually associate that name with Spain.  However, besides those players in Valencia, David De Gea is the only other famous Spanish footballer named David I could think of.  And David Ospina is from Colombia. In England, they had David Beckham, David Seaman, David James and David Platt, but they never played for the same club.  

Goalkeepers

-- Santiago Canizares is considered Valencia's greatest goalkeeper. He ranked among the best goalkeepers in the world for several seasons. In Valencia, he won two leagues, two cups, an Intertoto Cup, a UEFA Cup, and was twice a runner-up in the Champions League. 

-- Ignacio Eizaguirre was the first great Valencia CF goalkeeper for the club. He won three leagues and a Cup in the 1940's while over here. He is the only one who could endure a historical debate with Cañizares.  His father Augustin was also a goalkeeper who played for Real Sociedad.  However, he was not related to former goalkeeper Guillermo Eizaguirre who managed him at the 1950 World Cup Finals.  

-- The third goalkeeping spot had many candidates. Over the course of eight seasons, José Luis Manzanedo lifted both the King's Cup and the European Cup Winners' Cup. He also won the He also won the Ricardo Zamora Trophy for the 1978–79 season. José Manuel Ochotorena also won the award at Mestalla.   Andoni Zubizarreta spent 4 great years here, but his name was associated with Barcelona.  With Valencia, Abelardo González won a league title and a cup in the 1960s and 1970s. He won the league title in the 1970-71 season, conceding just 19 goals, which gave him one of the best ratios of goals conceded per game played (0.63) in the history of the league. For Spain, however, he was overshadowed by José Ángel Iribar.  In the Marca's fan poll, he finished third behind Canizares and Sempere. In the end, I chose José Manuel Sempere. He spent a very long career here, but was well-loved over here. In the 2019 Marca's fan poll, he was voted the second greatest goalkeeper ever after Santiago Canizares. He helped the club to win the UEFA Super Cup. 

José Manuel Sempere

-- At the time of writing (2024), Giorgi Mamardashvili was turning into a legendary goalkeeper in Valencia. Pep Balaguer, Neto Murara and Diego Alves were all goalkeepers of note over here.  Goyo Vergel was a largely forgotten goalkeeper who played her ein the 1950's.  he won the Ricardo Zamora award.

Defenders

--Juan Sol, part of a formidable defense alongside Aníbal, Jesús Martínez, and Antón, was instrumental in Valencia CF's 1970/71 La Liga title triumph. The Goal.com put him as one of Valencia's 25 greatest ever players. Quique Sánchez Flores dedicated 10 seasons to the club.  The Marca's fan poll selected him on their  All-Time Best XI.  I took him as my backup rightback.  Joe Carrete won the 1979 Copa del Rey and the 1980 European Cup Winners' Cup Final against Arsenal.  Carrete made two appearances for the Spain national football team in 1978. He only made honorable mentions.

-- At the time of writing, Jose Gaya is a one club player.  He already spent 12 seasons at the club, but he should still be behind Manuel Mestre or Juan Ramon Santiago.  Initially a left-sided defender used in roles similar to the modern winger, Manolo Mestre moved into central defense. Juan Ramon who also played as a central defender played with Valencia until he was 38 years old at a time when it was rare for a player to have long career.  He was also very loyal to the club. He was a left defender, but probably more suitable to a centerback position in the modern game.  As captain, he won many trophies with the club.

-- Ricardo Penella Arias spent 15 seasons out his 16 professional seasons with Valencia.  He is second in appearance for the club. He also followed the team to the lower division. 

-- Carlos Marchena's 359 appearances for Valencia solidify his position as one of the club's appearance leaders. He clinched two League titles, a Cup, a UEFA trophy, and a Super Cup during his successful tenure in Valencia. I also took Miguel Tendillo.  He was the captain of their Cup Winners' Cup victory in 1980. 

Miguel Tendillo 

-- For the final central defender, I went for Quincoces II.  Marca named him as the starting center defender on their All-Time Best XI.  He made his debut with Valencia when his uncle Jacinto Quincoces was the head coach at the club.  The other notable defenders included Raul Aboil, Paco Camarasa and Juan Ramon.  Raul Aboil was from the Golden Generation from Spain that won the 2010 World Cup. For 13 professional seasons, Paco Camarasa  played solely with local Valencia CF, amassing more than 300 overall appearances with the club. He played in the 1994 World Cup Finals. Juan Ramon, a pivotal figure in Valencia CF's history, spent 13 seasons with the team, becoming one of its most decorated players. I selected him as one of my fullbacks. His defensive partner was Alvaro Perez who had a significant place with the club. 

Midfielders/Wingers

--  ESdiario ranked Antonio Puchades as Valencia's second greatest player.  He was a one club player.  Rubén Baraja and David Albelda forged a formidable midfield partnership in Valencia CF's history, playing a major role in a squad that was crowned La Liga champions in 2002 and 2004. Additionally, they contributed significantly to the team's triumph in the 2004 UEFA Cup, solidifying their legacy as key figures in Valencia CF's finest moments. Their combined tenure of 25 seasons and 900 appearances remains a cherished memory among fans.  I have to take both of them together as a unit.  

David Albelda

-- Jose Claramunt could play many positions.  His best position was number "6".  Marca selected him along with Antonio Puchades on their Valencia All-Time Best XI.  

-- Gaizka Mendieta was a big star while playing for Valencia between 1993 and 2001.  He led them to back-to-back Champions' League Final in 2000 and 2001.  Fernando was another disputed choice as the number 10 on this team.   He spent 15 seasons with the club, winning Don Balón’s Best Spanish Player Award for the 1988–89 season.  He was the 4th leading scorer for the club as an attack midfielder. He also leads the club in appearance.  Then, I also selected David Silva.  In real life, the emerge of David Silva also sent Pablo Aimar who was a top La Liga player at the time  away from the club.  He also became one of the best midfielders of his time.  

Gaizka Mendieta

-- Pasieguito and Paquito have similar names, but they played in different eras.  Pasieguito formed a mythical midfield in Valencia with Antonio Puchades. He was the creative force of the duo.  I did not include him because I already had David Silva, Gaizka Mendieta and Fernando.  Paquito was a part of Spain's European Championship winning team. Instead, I took Miguel Ángel Angulo. He was a versatile player capable of excelling in multiple positions, his adaptability proving to be a significant asset to the team.  He was also ranked very high by Goal.com, further underscoring his place in Valencia's history.  Juan Mata was also left off the team.

-- Injuries kept Gerald Lopez from reaching the potential.  

-- I took Epi because I needed a right winger.  He scored a total of 105 goals and added 102 assists in 256 matches in official competition, making him the tenth best scorer and second highest assist-giver in the history of Valencia CF, only behind Vicente Seguí. Vicente Segui who played on the left wing lost out to his namesake Vicente Rodriguez.  Injuries kept Vicente Rodriguez from reaching potential.  However, in his peak, he was one of the best left wingers in the world.   Then, I selected Vicente Asensi as his backup.

Forwards

 -- Mundo holds the title of Valencia's all-time leading scorer. He was the first player from Valencia to finish as the top scorer in the league. He was considered to be one of Valencia's greatest players.

Mundo

-- Of course, I also selected David Villa who was a top striker in Spain during his prime.   He clinched the Spanish Player of the Year award in the seasons 2005-06 and was honored with the Zarra Trophy in the years 2005-06, 2006-07, 2008-09, and 2009-10.  He also became world-renowned by finishing as the top scorer at Euro 2008.

-- I also did not have a spot for Manuel Badenes who averaged almost a goal a game on my Valencia All-Time team, but I took him for this All-Spanish team.  I also looked into other players. Guillermo Gorostiza played in the 1930's for Valencia.  He netted in double digital in four of his six seasons here.  He went to the 1934 World Cup Finals, but while he was playing for Athletes Bilboa.

-- Ricardo Alós only made honourable mention. He was the first Valencia player to win the Pichichi trophy. I also have no space for Roberto Fernandez. Mista made honourable mention as an important member of the team that won four major titles.  
-- In his eight seasons with Valencia, Vicente Guillot was Waldo's striker partner.  The fans of Waldo was known as the "waldistas" and his supporters was known as "guillotistas". From 1961 to 1970, he played for Valencia CF, where he became a star.  He moved to Elche CF in 1970. At the international level, he was capped 6 times for Spain.  He was best remembered for scoring a hat trick against Romania in 1962.

Formation