Diego Hernán Valeri (born 1 May 1986) is an Argentine former professional
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby le ...
who played as an
attacking midfielder
A midfielder is an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position in association football.
Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As #Cent ...
.
From 2013 to 2021, Valeri played for
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada ...
club
Portland Timbers
The Portland Timbers are an American professional men's soccer club based in Portland, Oregon. The Timbers compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The Timbers have played their home games at P ...
, and is regarded as one of the league's greatest players of all time, as well as the greatest player in
Portland Timbers
The Portland Timbers are an American professional men's soccer club based in Portland, Oregon. The Timbers compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The Timbers have played their home games at P ...
history.
Valeri was named the
MLS Cup Most Valuable Player
The MLS Cup is the annual championship game of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the culmination of the MLS Cup Playoffs. The game is held in November and pits the winner of the Eastern Conference Final against the winner of the Western Conference ...
after he led the Timbers to win
MLS Cup 2015
MLS Cup 2015 was the 20th edition of the MLS Cup, the championship game of Major League Soccer (MLS). The soccer match was to determine the champion of MLS' 2015 season. The championship was contested on December 6, 2015 between the Columbus C ...
. He was later presented as the
MLS MVP
The Landon Donovan MVP Award is an annual award for MLS players. It is voted on by media, MLS players, and club management and is given to the player deemed the most valuable player in the league each season.
From 1996 to 2007, the award was kno ...
following his career-setting
2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
season. While in Major League Soccer, Valeri was selected into the
MLS All-Star
The Major League Soccer All-Star Game is an annual Association football, soccer game held by Major League Soccer featuring selected players from the league against an international club or selected players from Liga MX. MLS initially adopted a tr ...
team four times and was included three times in the
MLS Best XI The MLS Best XI is an annual acknowledgment of the best eleven players in Major League Soccer.
Winners
*Players in bold were awarded the Landon Donovan MVP Award for that season.
Most appearances by a player
The following players have appeared ...
.
Valeri began his career with his boyhood club
Lanús
Lanús () is the capital of Lanús Partido, Buenos Aires Province in Argentina. It lies just south of the capital city Buenos Aires, in the Greater Buenos Aires metropolitan area. The city has a population of 212,152 (), and the Partido de Lan ...
. Promoted to the first team by head coach
Miguel Ángel Brindisi
Miguel Ángel Brindisi de Marco (born 8 October 1950) is an Argentine football coach and former player. An attacking midfielder, he played for the Argentina national team at the 1974 FIFA World Cup.
Playing career
Born in the Almagro neighbo ...
, Valeri made his
Primera División
Primera may refer to
* Nissan Primera, a car
* Primera Air, a former airline
* Primera división (disambiguation), multiple top division football leagues
* Primera, Texas, a town in Cameron County, Texas
* Alí Primera, Venezuelan musician, compos ...
debut in September 2003 against
Vélez Sarsfield. He soon broke into the starting line-up more consistently, having his breakout season in
2007–08, helping Lanús to the
Torneo Apertura title. In 2009, Valeri joined Portuguese club
Porto
Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropol ...
on loan for the 2009–10 season, helping the club win the
Taça de Portugal
The Taça de Portugal (; "Cup of Portugal") is an annual association football competition and the premier knockout tournament in Portuguese football. For sponsorship reasons, it has been known as Taça de Portugal Placard since the 2015–16 seaso ...
. The next season, Valeri was loaned out to Spanish club
Almería
Almería (, , ) is a city and municipality of Spain, located in Andalusia. It is the capital of the province of the same name. It lies on southeastern Iberia on the Mediterranean Sea. Caliph Abd al-Rahman III founded the city in 955. The city gr ...
, where his loan was eventually ended early in December 2010.
In August 2012, Valeri and his family were victims in an armed robbery in
Lanús
Lanús () is the capital of Lanús Partido, Buenos Aires Province in Argentina. It lies just south of the capital city Buenos Aires, in the Greater Buenos Aires metropolitan area. The city has a population of 212,152 (), and the Partido de Lan ...
. The incident lead to Valeri instructing his agent to pursue a move abroad more aggressively. In January 2013, Valeri joined the
Portland Timbers
The Portland Timbers are an American professional men's soccer club based in Portland, Oregon. The Timbers compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The Timbers have played their home games at P ...
on loan for the
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
season. The deal was eventually made permanent in August 2013. In his debut season, Valeri helped the club top the
Western Conference standings, earning him the
MLS Newcomer of the Year award. In December 2015, he scored the opening goal for the Timbers' after 27 seconds against the
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew, formerly known as Columbus Crew SC, is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio. The Crew competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference and began play in 1996 as one ...
in MLS Cup 2015. The fastest goal in MLS Cup history, the Timbers would go on to defeat the Crew and win their first ever championship. Two seasons later, Valeri registered his best season statistically, posting a career-high 21 goals while recording 11 assists. He helped the Timbers top the
Western Conference standings and won the MLS Most Valuable Player award. The
following season, Valeri helped lead his side to
MLS Cup 2018
MLS Cup 2018 was the 23rd edition of the MLS Cup, the championship match of Major League Soccer (MLS), which took place on December 8, 2018. It was the final match of the 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs and was contested by Atlanta United FC and the Por ...
against
Atlanta United
Atlanta United FC, commonly known as Atlanta United, is an American professional soccer club based in Atlanta that competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference.
Founded in 2014, Atlanta United began pl ...
, where they were defeated 0–2. In August 2020, Valeri helped captain the Timbers to the
final
Final, Finals or The Final may refer to:
*Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which decides a winner for an event
** Another term for playoffs, describing a sequence of cont ...
of the
MLS is Back Tournament
The MLS is Back Tournament took place during the 2020 Major League Soccer season to mark the league's return to action after being suspended as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of the 26 Major League Soccer teams, 24 participated in the tour ...
, defeating
Orlando City.
Valeri is the all-time leading goalscorer for the Portland Timbers with 100 goals in all competitions. He is the 14th all-time top scorer and is 10th all-time in assists in Major League Soccer history.
Valeri earned three caps for
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
, all occurring in 2011. He made his international debut for his country on 16 March against
Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
as Argentina won 4–1.
Early life
Born in the industrial city of
Lanús
Lanús () is the capital of Lanús Partido, Buenos Aires Province in Argentina. It lies just south of the capital city Buenos Aires, in the Greater Buenos Aires metropolitan area. The city has a population of 212,152 (), and the Partido de Lan ...
, a suburb of
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
on 1 May 1986, Valeri is the son of Luis, a former footballer turned shoe factory owner, and Monica, a former tennis player for the local athletic club.
As a child, Valeri would play football among his friends. When Valeri turned nine, through his mother, he participated in a trial with the local football club
Club Atlético Lanús
Club Atlético Lanús () is an Argentina, Argentine sports club from the Lanús district of Greater Buenos Aires. Founded in 1915, the club's main sports are association football, football and basketball. In both sports, Lanús plays in Argentin ...
.
Valeri was recruited into the club's youth team and played with the club's youth sides for five years before being promoted into the reserves.
Club career
Lanús
![Brindisi argentina](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Brindisi_argentina.jpg)
After impressing with the reserves, Valeri was promoted into the
Lanús
Lanús () is the capital of Lanús Partido, Buenos Aires Province in Argentina. It lies just south of the capital city Buenos Aires, in the Greater Buenos Aires metropolitan area. The city has a population of 212,152 (), and the Partido de Lan ...
first team under head coach
Miguel Ángel Brindisi
Miguel Ángel Brindisi de Marco (born 8 October 1950) is an Argentine football coach and former player. An attacking midfielder, he played for the Argentina national team at the 1974 FIFA World Cup.
Playing career
Born in the Almagro neighbo ...
.
He made his professional debut on 27 September 2003 against
Vélez Sarsfield.
During his time at Lanús, Valeri played in 158 matches, scoring 25 goals in the
Argentine Primera División
The Primera División (; en, "First Division"), known officialy as Liga Profesional de Fútbol, or Torneo Binance for sponsorship reasons, is a professional football league in Argentina, organised by the Argentine Football Association (AFA).
Th ...
.
During the
2007–08 season, Valeri scored a season-high 8 goals in 26 matches and helped Lanús to the Apertura title.
Towards the end of his time at Lanús, Valeri was named club captain.
Porto (loan)
On 17 July 2009, Valeri joined Portuguese
Primeira Liga
The Primeira Liga (; English: Premier League, also written as Liga Portugal 1), also known as Liga Portugal Bwin for sponsorship reasons, is the top level of the Portuguese football league system. Organised and supervised by the Liga Portugal, ...
club
FC Porto
Futebol Clube do Porto, MHIH, OM (), commonly known as FC Porto or simply Porto, is a Portuguese professional sports club based in Porto. It is best known for the professional football team playing in the Primeira Liga, the top flight of Portu ...
on a two-season loan with a purchase option. He made his debut for Porto on 23 August 2009 against
Nacional
Nacional, the Portuguese and Spanish word for "national", may refer to:
Airlines
* Nacional Transportes Aéreos, a Brazilian airline defunct in 2002
* Transportes Aéreos Nacional, a Brazilian airline defunct in 1961
Bank
* Banco Nacional, a ...
, coming on as a substitute for
Raul Meireles
Raul José Trindade Meireles (; born 17 March 1983) is a Portuguese former footballer who played as a midfielder.
After starting out at Boavista, he signed with Porto in 2004, going on to appear in 198 official games and win ten major trophies ...
in the 75th minute of a 3–0 victory. Valeri then made his
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League (abbreviated as UCL, or sometimes, UEFA CL) is an annual club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and contested by top-division European clubs, deciding the competit ...
debut on 30 September 2009 during a 2–0 victory against
Atlético Madrid
Club Atlético de Madrid, Sociedad Anónima Deportiva, S.A.D. (; meaning "Athletic Club of Madrid"), known simply as Atleti in the Spanish-speaking world and commonly referred to at international level as Atlético Madrid, is a Spanish profess ...
, coming on as a stoppage time substitute.
During his loan at Porto, Valeri played four matches in the
Taça de Portugal
The Taça de Portugal (; "Cup of Portugal") is an annual association football competition and the premier knockout tournament in Portuguese football. For sponsorship reasons, it has been known as Taça de Portugal Placard since the 2015–16 seaso ...
to help Porto earn their 15th domestic cup title.
He came on as a 72nd-minute substitute for the club in the
final
Final, Finals or The Final may refer to:
*Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which decides a winner for an event
** Another term for playoffs, describing a sequence of cont ...
against
Chaves as Porto won 2–1.
Following his first season with Porto, it was reported that Valeri did not fit into the plans for new manager
André Villas-Boas
Luís André de Pina Cabral e Villas-Boas (; born 17 October 1977) is a Portuguese football manager, who most recently was the manager of Ligue 1 club Marseille. He is one of a growing number of top-level managers who have never played football ...
.
He also had a tough time adapting at the club, citing the pressure and demand to perform while playing outside his home country for the first time.
Almería (loan)
On 9 July 2010, it was reported that Spanish
La Liga
The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Primera División, commonly known simply as Primera División in Spain, and as La Liga in English-speaking countries and officially as LaLiga Santander for sponsorship reasons, stylized as LaLiga, is the men's ...
club
Almería
Almería (, , ) is a city and municipality of Spain, located in Andalusia. It is the capital of the province of the same name. It lies on southeastern Iberia on the Mediterranean Sea. Caliph Abd al-Rahman III founded the city in 955. The city gr ...
were negotiating with
Porto
Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropol ...
to sign Valeri on loan. On 21 July 2010, Valeri was presented as an Almería player, arriving on loan for the
2010–11
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...
season. He made his debut for the club on 13 September 2010 against
Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad de Fútbol, S.A.D., more commonly referred to as Real Sociedad (; ''Royal Society''), La Real in Spanish, Erreala in Basque, is a Spanish professional sports club in the city of San Sebastián, Basque Country, founded on 7 Septem ...
. He started and played 72 minutes as the match ended in a 2–2 draw.
Valeri's loan with Almería was ended early on 30 December 2010, with him returning to
Lanús
Lanús () is the capital of Lanús Partido, Buenos Aires Province in Argentina. It lies just south of the capital city Buenos Aires, in the Greater Buenos Aires metropolitan area. The city has a population of 212,152 (), and the Partido de Lan ...
.
Portland Timbers (loan)
On 10 January 2013, Valeri joined
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada ...
club
Portland Timbers
The Portland Timbers are an American professional men's soccer club based in Portland, Oregon. The Timbers compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The Timbers have played their home games at P ...
on loan for the
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
season.
He was signed as one of the Timbers'
designated players.
Prior to moving to the United States, two other Major League Soccer clubs were in discussions to sign Valeri – the
Chicago Fire and Timbers rival
Seattle Sounders
Seattle Sounders Football Club is an American professional men's association football, soccer club based in Seattle. The Sounders compete as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS). The club w ...
.
Valeri and his agent met with the Fire and their technical staff but a deal never materialized and the Sounders held the discovery rights to Valeri.
He also spoke with former
Lanús
Lanús () is the capital of Lanús Partido, Buenos Aires Province in Argentina. It lies just south of the capital city Buenos Aires, in the Greater Buenos Aires metropolitan area. The city has a population of 212,152 (), and the Partido de Lan ...
teammate
Javier Morales
Javier Morales (born 10 January 1980) is an Argentine former footballer who played as a midfielder. He currently serves as an academy coach at Inter Miami CF.
Career Argentina
From 1998 to 2006, Morales played for four different clubs in the Ar ...
, then at
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake, often shortened to RSL, is an American professional soccer franchise based in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. The club competes as a member club of Major League Soccer (MLS) in the Western Conference. RSL began play in 20 ...
, before signing with the Timbers.
Valeri made his debut for the Portland Timbers on 3 March 2013 in the season opener against the
New York Red Bulls
The New York Red Bulls are an American professional soccer club based in the New York metropolitan area. The Red Bulls compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The club was established in October 1994 and be ...
. He started and scored his first Timbers goal in the 14th minute, an equalizer to make it 1–1.
The match would go on to end in a 3–3 draw.
Portland Timbers
![7A4A4465 (27639733978)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/7A4A4465_%2827639733978%29.jpg)
On 6 August 2013, after he scored four goals and earned eight assists in 20 matches, the
Portland Timbers
The Portland Timbers are an American professional men's soccer club based in Portland, Oregon. The Timbers compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The Timbers have played their home games at P ...
exercised their purchase agreement with
Lanús
Lanús () is the capital of Lanús Partido, Buenos Aires Province in Argentina. It lies just south of the capital city Buenos Aires, in the Greater Buenos Aires metropolitan area. The city has a population of 212,152 (), and the Partido de Lan ...
and signed Valeri to a multi-year contract. A day later, on 7 August, Valeri scored a consolation goal for the Timbers in their 2–1 defeat against
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake, often shortened to RSL, is an American professional soccer franchise based in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. The club competes as a member club of Major League Soccer (MLS) in the Western Conference. RSL began play in 20 ...
in the
U.S. Open Cup
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, commonly known as the U.S. Open Cup (USOC), is a Single-elimination tournament, knockout cup competition in men's Soccer in the United States, soccer in the United States of America. It is the oldest ongoing nati ...
. Valeri would go on to finish his first season with the Portland Timbers with 10 goals and 13 assists, being named as the league's
Newcomer of the Year.
He also earned a selection in that seasons
MLS Best XI The MLS Best XI is an annual acknowledgment of the best eleven players in Major League Soccer.
Winners
*Players in bold were awarded the Landon Donovan MVP Award for that season.
Most appearances by a player
The following players have appeared ...
.
The next season, on 19 July 2014, Valeri was selected to be part of the
MLS All-Star
The Major League Soccer All-Star Game is an annual Association football, soccer game held by Major League Soccer featuring selected players from the league against an international club or selected players from Liga MX. MLS initially adopted a tr ...
team that would play against
Bayern Munich
Fußball-Club Bayern München e. V. (FCB, ), also known as FC Bayern (), Bayern Munich, or simply Bayern, is a German professional sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional men's football team, which pla ...
. During the match on 6 August, Valeri providing the game-winning assist for
Landon Donovan
Landon Timothy Donovan (born March 4, 1982) is an American former professional soccer player. Donovan is also the co-founder and vice-president of soccer operations for USL Championship side San Diego Loyal SC, and serves as strategic advisor fo ...
in the 70th minute to help the MLS All-Stars win 2–1.
At the end of the season, Valeri was selected into his second consecutive MLS Best XI.
During the Portland Timbers final regular-season match of 2014 against
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional Association football, soccer club based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The club competes as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference in Major League Soccer (MLS). The franchise be ...
, Valeri tore his ACL and was sidelined to start the
2015
File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
season. Valeri made his first appearance on 2 May 2015 against the
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Vancouver Whitecaps Football Club is a Canadian professional soccer team based in Vancouver. They compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The MLS iteration of the club was established on Marc ...
, coming on as a 52nd-minute substitute for
Ishmael Yartey
Ishmael Yartey (born 11 January 1990) is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a left midfielder or left winger for Norwegian club Alta.
Club career
Yartey began his youth and professional career with Ghanaian club All Blacks F.C., b ...
as the Timbers drew 0–0. Valeri would go on to become a regular again for Portland as he helped lead the club into the
2015 MLS playoffs
The 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs (officially the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs for sponsorship reasons) was the 20th post-season tournament culminating the Major League Soccer regular season. The tournament began on October 28 with D.C. United defeating ...
before securing the club's spot in
MLS Cup 2015
MLS Cup 2015 was the 20th edition of the MLS Cup, the championship game of Major League Soccer (MLS). The soccer match was to determine the champion of MLS' 2015 season. The championship was contested on December 6, 2015 between the Columbus C ...
through a 5–3 aggregate victory over
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional Association football, soccer club based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The club competes as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference in Major League Soccer (MLS). The franchise be ...
in the Conference Finals.
Valeri was a starter for the Portland Timbers against the
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew, formerly known as Columbus Crew SC, is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio. The Crew competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference and began play in 1996 as one ...
for MLS Cup 2015.
He opened the scoring for the club after just 27 seconds, deflecting a clearance from Columbus goalkeeper
Steve Clark
''yes'Steve is a masculine given name, usually a short form (hypocorism) of Steven or Stephen
Notable people with the name include:
steve jops
* Steve Abbott (disambiguation), several people
* Steve Adams (disambiguation), several people
* Steve ...
to give the Timbers the very early lead. Valeri's goal was the fastest scored in MLS Cup history.
The Portland Timbers would go on to win the match 2–1, earning their first-ever MLS Cup championship.
Valeri would later be named as the
MLS Cup Most Valuable Player
The MLS Cup is the annual championship game of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the culmination of the MLS Cup Playoffs. The game is held in November and pits the winner of the Eastern Conference Final against the winner of the Western Conference ...
for his performance during the final and throughout the playoffs.
Following their success, the Timbers were expected to be a contender for
MLS Cup 2016
MLS Cup 2016 was the 21st edition of the MLS Cup, the championship match of Major League Soccer (MLS), played on December 10, 2016. The soccer match was hosted at BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and contested by Toronto FC and Seattle So ...
.
Despite the losses of forward
Maximiliano Urruti
Maximiliano "Maxi" Nicolás Urruti Mussa (born 22 February 1991) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a striker for Major League Soccer club Austin FC.
Career
Newell's Old Boys
Urruti started his career in the youth system a ...
, defender
Jorge Villafaña
Jorge Antonio Flores Villafaña (born September 16, 1989) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a left-back.
Career
Youth
Villafaña spent part of his childhood in Pénjamo, Guanajuato, Mexico before returning to the Unite ...
, and captain
Will Johnson, the Timbers retained main offensive starters Valeri,
Darlington Nagbe
Darlington Joephillip Nagbe (born July 19, 1990) is an professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Columbus Crew in Major League Soccer. Born in Liberia, he represented the United States national team.
Nagbe spent the first seven ...
, and club top-scorer
Fanendo Adi
Fanendo Adi (born 10 October 1990) is a Nigerian footballer who plays as a striker.
Club career Europe
Following his transfer from AS Trencin, Adi scored a goal in his F.C. Copenhagen debut against FC Vestsjælland on 25 August, despite not ...
.
There were also higher expectations for forward
Lucas Melano
Lucas Santiago Melano (born 1 March 1993) is an Argentine footballer who plays as a forward for Newell's Old Boys.
Club career Belgrano
Lucas made his debut for Belgrano on 17 March 2012 where he played 13 minutes as a substitute in a match ...
, who arrived midway through the previous season as a designated player from Valeri's former club
Lanús
Lanús () is the capital of Lanús Partido, Buenos Aires Province in Argentina. It lies just south of the capital city Buenos Aires, in the Greater Buenos Aires metropolitan area. The city has a population of 212,152 (), and the Partido de Lan ...
.
During the season, Valeri had another productive campaign as he scored 14 goals and earned seven assists. His goals count being second among Timbers players and second among midfielders in MLS. On 28 July 2016, Valeri was named into his second
MLS All-Star
The Major League Soccer All-Star Game is an annual Association football, soccer game held by Major League Soccer featuring selected players from the league against an international club or selected players from Liga MX. MLS initially adopted a tr ...
squad. The All-Stars would take on
Premier League
The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Foo ...
side
Arsenal
An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...
. On 10 August 2016, Valeri signed a three-year contract extension with the Portland Timbers.
Despite Valeri's performance during the season, as well as from Adi, the Portland Timbers failed to qualify for the
playoffs
The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
.
A 4–1 defeat to the Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Decision Day meant that the Timbers finished two points behind 6th-placed
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake, often shortened to RSL, is an American professional soccer franchise based in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. The club competes as a member club of Major League Soccer (MLS) in the Western Conference. RSL began play in 20 ...
in the standings. Throughout the season, the Timbers failed to win a single match away from home, hurting their qualification chances.
The failure from the Portland Timbers to qualify for the playoffs, as well as from their MLS Cup 2015 opponents
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew, formerly known as Columbus Crew SC, is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio. The Crew competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference and began play in 1996 as one ...
, meant that for the first time in league history, neither finalist from the previous season qualified for the following playoffs.
During the
2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
season, Valeri scored 21 goals and earned 11 assists, becoming just the second player in league history to record at least 20 goals and 10 assists across an entire season.
He also broke the league record for most consecutive games with a goal, scoring a goal in 9 straight matches between 29 July and 24 September.
Valeri earned his third
All-Star selection and played the second half of the match against
Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (, meaning ''Royal Madrid Football Club''), commonly referred to as Real Madrid, is a Spanish professional football club based in Madrid.
Founded in 1902 as Madrid Football Club, the club has traditionally wor ...
. On 12 August, Valeri became the 18th player in Major League Soccer history to score 50 goals and earn 50 assists when he scored during a 4–1 defeat against
Toronto FC
Toronto Football Club (commonly known as Toronto FC or TFC) is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home matches at BMO ...
. A little more than a week later, on 23 August, Valeri became the Timbers all-time top goalscorer; scoring the first goal in a 2–1 victory over the
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver metropolitan area. The Rapids compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. Founded in 1995, as part of the Anschutz Corporation, la ...
and breaking the record set earlier that season by teammate
Fanendo Adi
Fanendo Adi (born 10 October 1990) is a Nigerian footballer who plays as a striker.
Club career Europe
Following his transfer from AS Trencin, Adi scored a goal in his F.C. Copenhagen debut against FC Vestsjælland on 25 August, despite not ...
.
Valeri's performances throughout the season were instrumental in securing Portland Timbers the top spot in the
Western Conference standings and qualifying for the
playoffs
The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
.
The Timbers playoff journey began in the Conference Semifinals against the
Houston Dynamo
Houston Dynamo FC (formerly officially, but still commonly, called the Houston Dynamo) is an American professional soccer club based in Houston. The Dynamo compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. Establi ...
. The club were knocked-out after losing 2–1 on aggregate. Despite the early defeat, Valeri was awarded the
Landon Donovan MVP Award
The Landon Donovan MVP Award is an annual award for MLS players. It is voted on by media, MLS players, and club management and is given to the player deemed the most valuable player in the league each season.
From 1996 to 2007, the award was kno ...
on 4 December 2017.
Following his MVP season, Valeri scored 14 goals and assisted 14 during the
2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
campaign. That season, Valeri, alongside former
Lanús
Lanús () is the capital of Lanús Partido, Buenos Aires Province in Argentina. It lies just south of the capital city Buenos Aires, in the Greater Buenos Aires metropolitan area. The city has a population of 212,152 (), and the Partido de Lan ...
teammate
Sebastián Blanco
Sebastián Marcelo Blanco (born 15 March 1988) is an Argentine professional footballer who currently plays for Major League Soccer side Portland Timbers.
Club career Lanús
Blanco made his breakthrough into the Lanús first team in 2006. In 2 ...
, helped lead the Portland Timbers back into the
MLS Cup playoffs
The MLS Cup Playoffs is the annual postseason elimination tournament of Major League Soccer. The final match of the tournament is the MLS Cup, the league's championship game. Under the current format adopted for the 2019 season, 14 teams qualif ...
.
During the Knockout Round match against
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional Association football, soccer club based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The club competes as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference in Major League Soccer (MLS). The franchise be ...
on 31 October, Valeri scored a brace to give the Timbers a 2–1 victory. In the next round, the Timbers took on rivals
Seattle Sounders
Seattle Sounders Football Club is an American professional men's association football, soccer club based in Seattle. The Sounders compete as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS). The club w ...
in the Conference Semifinals. Valeri assisted both goals for the Timbers as the club took a 2–1 aggregate lead after the first leg of the tie. In the second leg, the Sounders won the match 3–2 after extra-time which lead to penalty kicks. Valeri converted his penalty as the Timbers won 4–2, advancing to the Conference Finals.
The Portland Timbers took on
Sporting Kansas City
Sporting Kansas City, often shortened to Sporting KC, is an American men's professional Association football, soccer club based in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The administrative offices are located in Downtown Kansas City, Missouri, and t ...
in the Western Conference Finals.
After a 0–0 draw in the first leg, Valeri scored a brace in the second leg to help the Timbers win 3–2 and thus advance to
MLS Cup 2018
MLS Cup 2018 was the 23rd edition of the MLS Cup, the championship match of Major League Soccer (MLS), which took place on December 8, 2018. It was the final match of the 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs and was contested by Atlanta United FC and the Por ...
.
He would go on to start in MLS Cup against
Atlanta United
Atlanta United FC, commonly known as Atlanta United, is an American professional soccer club based in Atlanta that competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference.
Founded in 2014, Atlanta United began pl ...
on 8 December 2018 but couldn't prevent his side from losing 2–0.
The next season in
2019
File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
, Valeri recorded a career-best 16 assists, which also broke the club record for most assists in a single-season.
Valeri helped the Portland Timbers qualify for their third-straight
MLS Cup playoff appearance. They were knocked-out in the first round by
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake, often shortened to RSL, is an American professional soccer franchise based in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. The club competes as a member club of Major League Soccer (MLS) in the Western Conference. RSL began play in 20 ...
.
Prior to the
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
season, on 16 December 2019, after declining his contract option, Valeri signed another contract extension with the Portland Timbers.
This deal would reduce Valeri from being a designated player as the Timbers used
Targeted Allocation Money
Allocation money, in Major League Soccer, represents an amount of money that teams may use to sign players and/or allocate to their salaries to get under the salary cap.
Reasons for obtaining
MLS teams receive general allocation money for these r ...
to re-sign and buy down Valeri's contract.
Due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, the Portland Timbers participated in the
MLS is Back Tournament
The MLS is Back Tournament took place during the 2020 Major League Soccer season to mark the league's return to action after being suspended as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of the 26 Major League Soccer teams, 24 participated in the tour ...
held in
Orlando
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures rele ...
,
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
, with Valeri acting as club captain.
On 11 August 2020, Valeri started for the Timbers during the
final
Final, Finals or The Final may refer to:
*Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which decides a winner for an event
** Another term for playoffs, describing a sequence of cont ...
against
Orlando City. The Portland Timbers would go on to win 2–1.
On 2 September 2020, Valeri became the third player in Major League Soccer history to score at least 80 goals and earn 80 assists – alongside
Landon Donovan
Landon Timothy Donovan (born March 4, 1982) is an American former professional soccer player. Donovan is also the co-founder and vice-president of soccer operations for USL Championship side San Diego Loyal SC, and serves as strategic advisor fo ...
and
Jaime Moreno.
Following the
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
season, Valeri was named by the league among its 25 best players of all-time.
He had been top scorer in four of his nine years with the club and top equal in one, his best being 21 goals in 2017.
Valeri scored 100 goals for the Timbers across all competitions during his time in Portland. He left the team as their regular season leader in goals scored, assists, and points.
Return to Lanús
On 20 January 2022, the Timbers and Valeri mutually agreed on his transfer back to
Club Atlético Lanús
Club Atlético Lanús () is an Argentina, Argentine sports club from the Lanús district of Greater Buenos Aires. Founded in 1915, the club's main sports are association football, football and basketball. In both sports, Lanús plays in Argentin ...
. The Timbers announced a testimonial match for Valeri between them and Lanús in 2023, and upon retirement Valeri would become a Timbers ambassador. On 2 June 2022 36-year old Valeri confirmed, that he had decided to hang up his boots.
International career
On 16 March 2011, Valeri made his international debut for
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
at the
Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario
Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario is a stadium in Pocito Department of San Juan Province, Argentina. It is used mostly for football events, hosting the home matches of San Martín de San Juan, Sportivo Desamparados, and other local clubs. The stad ...
in a
friendly against
Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
. Argentina won 4–1. Valeri would go on to make just two more appearances with Argentina, both in 2011, against
Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...
and
Paraguay
Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...
. In June 2011, prior to
Copa América
The Copa América ( en, America Cup) or CONMEBOL Copa América, known until 1975 as the South American Football Championship (''Campeonato Sudamericano de Fútbol'' in Spanish and ''Campeonato Sul-Americano de Futebol'' in Portuguese), is the t ...
, Valeri was included in the provisional squad for Argentina by manager
Sergio Batista
Sergio Daniel "Checho" Batista (; born 9 November 1962) is an Argentine football manager and former international player.
As a footballer he played as a midfield for Argentinos Juniors, River Plate, Nueva Chicago, Tosu Futures and All Boys. H ...
but was cut from the final 23-man squad.
Style of play
A technically gifted player, Valeri was capable of both scoring and creating goals. When he joined the
Portland Timbers
The Portland Timbers are an American professional men's soccer club based in Portland, Oregon. The Timbers compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The Timbers have played their home games at P ...
in 2013, he was brought in to become the creative force of the offense for coach
Caleb Porter
Caleb Porter (born February 18, 1975) is an American soccer coach who most recently served as the head coach of Major League Soccer club Columbus Crew from 2019 to 2022. He was previously head coach of the Portland Timbers from 2013 until 201 ...
.
"He will be one of the better
playmaker
In association football, a playmaker is a player who controls the flow of the team's play, and is often involved in offensively and defensively playing passing moves which lead to goals, through their vision, technique, ball control, creativit ...
s in the league, but more importantly Diego fits our identity and his play should boost production to help the club win games," stated Porter after Valeri signed with the Timbers.
Throughout his time with the Timbers, Valeri was considered the creative spark for the club.
During his first season in Portland, Valeri adapted into the middle of Porter's
4–3–3
In association football, the formation of a team refers to the position players take in relation to each other on a pitch. As association football is a fluid and fast-moving game, a player's position (with the exception of the goalkeeper) in a ...
formation, forming a partnership with
central midfielder
A midfielder is an outfield position in association football.
Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...
s
Diego Chará
Diego Ferney Chará Zamora (born April 5, 1986) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays for Major League Soccer club Portland Timbers.
Career
Club
Chará began his career in the youth ranks of Deportes Quindío. In 2004, he moved up t ...
and
Will Johnson.
That partnership allowed Valeri the freedom he needed to score ten goals and provide thirteen assists in his first season with the club.
Valeri was known to be the creative lynchpin and key to the Portland Timbers attack.
Considered to be a skilled passer who was able to get the ball to his forwards in great positions, Valeri was not only known for his offensive ability but also for being able to contribute defensively by dropping back and helping start a Timbers counterattack. Prior to a match in 2014, former
Toronto FC
Toronto Football Club (commonly known as Toronto FC or TFC) is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home matches at BMO ...
coach
Greg Vanney
Greg Vanney (born June 11, 1974) is an American former professional soccer player and head coach of the LA Galaxy in Major League Soccer.
A defender and one of MLS's original players, Vanney spent 10 seasons in the league and another three-and ...
stated that Valeri was "clever" and that "you don't really want to send your marking guy to the outside to deal with him".
When former
Lanús
Lanús () is the capital of Lanús Partido, Buenos Aires Province in Argentina. It lies just south of the capital city Buenos Aires, in the Greater Buenos Aires metropolitan area. The city has a population of 212,152 (), and the Partido de Lan ...
teammate
Sebastián Blanco
Sebastián Marcelo Blanco (born 15 March 1988) is an Argentine professional footballer who currently plays for Major League Soccer side Portland Timbers.
Club career Lanús
Blanco made his breakthrough into the Lanús first team in 2006. In 2 ...
arrived at the Timbers, both he and Valeri began a partnership that would be key to the Portland offense.
Valeri continued to play as the central attacking midfielder while Blanco would interchange between playing centrally and going out wide to the wing.
According to Timbers general manager,
Gavin Wilkinson
Gavin Wilkinson (born 5 November 1973) is a former New Zealand footballer who served as general manager and President of Soccer for the Portland Timbers from 2009 to 2022.
Prior to this position, Wilkinson was manager of Portland Timbers in th ...
, this partnership helped Valeri reach a career-high 21 goals during his MVP season.
Despite not being a full-game starter for the Timbers in
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
, coach
Giovanni Savarese
Giovanni Savarese (born July 14, 1971) is a Venezuelan football manager and former player, who is the head coach for the Portland Timbers.
Club career Professional Breakthrough
Savarese made his professional debut at 15, with Venezuelan club ...
stated, "his movements are very sharp, his quality is still intact and he's taking care of himself in the best possible way."
Personal life
Valeri married his childhood sweetheart Florencia in 2007.
She is also from
Lanús
Lanús () is the capital of Lanús Partido, Buenos Aires Province in Argentina. It lies just south of the capital city Buenos Aires, in the Greater Buenos Aires metropolitan area. The city has a population of 212,152 (), and the Partido de Lan ...
and was Valeri's neighbor growing up.
The couple have a daughter named Constanza who was born in 2009.
While Valeri was still playing in Argentina, Florencia would regularly attend matches for
Club Atlético Lanús
Club Atlético Lanús () is an Argentina, Argentine sports club from the Lanús district of Greater Buenos Aires. Founded in 1915, the club's main sports are association football, football and basketball. In both sports, Lanús plays in Argentin ...
but after the birth of their daughter, the couple decided that it might be too dangerous to attend games.
In October 2012, Valeri and his family were victims of a carjacking near their home as armed robbers stole Valeri's
BMW X1
The BMW X1 is a line of subcompact luxury crossovers produced by BMW. Debuted in 2009, the first-generation X1 has been based on the E90 3 Series and offers rear-wheel drive layout as standard. At its introduction, it was positioned as the sm ...
, wallet, and cell phone.
According to Valeri, the carjacking was a major reason in him and his family deciding to want to move out of Argentina.
Prior to his move to the
Portland Timbers
The Portland Timbers are an American professional men's soccer club based in Portland, Oregon. The Timbers compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The Timbers have played their home games at P ...
, Valeri had never heard of
Portland
Portland most commonly refers to:
* Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States
* Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...
,
Oregon
Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...
.
He had only been to the United States once, in 2004, when he was part of the Lanús side that would take on a Japanese club in a pre-season friendly at
Dignity Health Sports Park
Dignity Health Sports Park is a multi-use sports complex located on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, California. The complex consists of the 27,000-seat Dignity Health Sports Park soccer stadium, the Dignity ...
in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
.
Not long after the move, Valeri and his family began to embrace life in Portland and felt that it was very safe.
Additionally, the family began to participate in local community service initiatives and charities, with his work off-the-pitch earning Valeri the nickname "Saint Valeri".
He has also developed a deep relationship with the supporters' groups of the Portland Timbers, regularly participating in local football events and matches.
Valeri and his family also regularly attend matches for
National Women's Soccer League
The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is a professional women's soccer league at the top of the United States league system. It is owned by the teams and, until 2020, was under a management contract with the United States Soccer Federatio ...
club
Portland Thorns
The Portland Thorns FC is an American professional women's soccer team based in Portland, Oregon. Established in 2012, the team began play in 2013 in the then-eight-team National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), which receives support from the Unit ...
, the sister club of the Timbers.
Valeri has stated that the Thorns serve as a major inspiration for his daughter and her future hopes and dreams.
Career statistics
Club
International
Honours
Lanús
*
Argentine Primera División
The Primera División (; en, "First Division"), known officialy as Liga Profesional de Fútbol, or Torneo Binance for sponsorship reasons, is a professional football league in Argentina, organised by the Argentine Football Association (AFA).
Th ...
:
2007 Apertura
Porto
*
Taça de Portugal
The Taça de Portugal (; "Cup of Portugal") is an annual association football competition and the premier knockout tournament in Portuguese football. For sponsorship reasons, it has been known as Taça de Portugal Placard since the 2015–16 seaso ...
:
2009–10
*
Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira
The Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira (; English: Cândido de Oliveira Super Cup, or simply Portuguese Super Cup) is an annual Portuguese football match played since 1979 between the winners of the Portuguese League (Primeira Liga) and Portuguese ...
:
2009
File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...
Portland Timbers
*
MLS Cup
The MLS Cup is the annual championship game of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the culmination of the MLS Cup Playoffs. The game is held in November and pits the winner of the Eastern Conference Final against the winner of the Western Conference ...
:
2015
File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
*
MLS is Back Tournament
The MLS is Back Tournament took place during the 2020 Major League Soccer season to mark the league's return to action after being suspended as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of the 26 Major League Soccer teams, 24 participated in the tour ...
:
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
Individual
*
MLS Cup Most Valuable Player
The MLS Cup is the annual championship game of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the culmination of the MLS Cup Playoffs. The game is held in November and pits the winner of the Eastern Conference Final against the winner of the Western Conference ...
:
2015
File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
*
MLS MVP
The Landon Donovan MVP Award is an annual award for MLS players. It is voted on by media, MLS players, and club management and is given to the player deemed the most valuable player in the league each season.
From 1996 to 2007, the award was kno ...
:
2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
*
MLS Newcomer of the Year:
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
*
MLS Best XI The MLS Best XI is an annual acknowledgment of the best eleven players in Major League Soccer.
Winners
*Players in bold were awarded the Landon Donovan MVP Award for that season.
Most appearances by a player
The following players have appeared ...
:
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
,
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
,
2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
*
MLS All-Star
The Major League Soccer All-Star Game is an annual Association football, soccer game held by Major League Soccer featuring selected players from the league against an international club or selected players from Liga MX. MLS initially adopted a tr ...
:
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
,
2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
,
2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
,
2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Valeri, Diego
1986 births
Living people
Sportspeople from Lanús
Argentine footballers
Argentine expatriate footballers
Argentine expatriate sportspeople in Spain
Argentina international footballers
Association football midfielders
Club Atlético Lanús footballers
FC Porto players
UD Almería players
Portland Timbers players
Expatriate footballers in Portugal
Expatriate soccer players in the United States
Argentine Primera División players
Primeira Liga players
La Liga players
Designated Players (MLS)
Major League Soccer players
Major League Soccer All-Stars
Expatriate footballers in Spain
Argentine expatriate sportspeople in Portugal
Argentine expatriate sportspeople in the United States