Man Utd cult hero Antonio Valencia looking jacked as he enjoys new career as club owner
Living the high life in retirement is a fitting reward for a footballer, and Antonio Valencia appears to be making the most of his post-playing days.
The former Manchester United ace cuts a very different figure now to the one that routinely bombarded down United's right flank over the course of a decade. Valencia arrived at Old Trafford from Wigan for a modest £16 million fee in 2009 and ended up being one of Sir Alex Ferguson's best bargain buys.
But the 37-year-old is now the one calling the shots at boardroom level after founding AV25 Club Deportivo - also known as Tumbaco AV25 - last year. Valencia hung up his boots in 2021 and has since moved into ownership in his native Ecuador.
And the upgrade appears to have been good to the two-time Premier League champion judging by his growth.
Valencia's Instagram page is replete with pictures of him soaking up the sun with family and friends, as well as advertising his club's wares. Only a handful of players has made more appearances for Ecuador than 99-cap Valencia, who scored 11 times for his country during a 15-year international career.
And fans can still connect with the retired ace through Tumbaco AV25, who play in the Segunda Categoria de Pichincha. The league is endorsed by the Ecuadorian FA but includes teams only from the country's Pichincha province.
Valencia's venture appears to have been a successful one thus far, however, with his side vying for top spot in Group A of their league after nine games this season.
The former winger-cum-full-back called time on his Old Trafford career in 2019, leaving United after 339 appearances for the club. Along with his league titles, he left the club with an FA Cup crown, two League Cups and a Europa League trophy under Jose Mourinho.
Despite a fairly innocuous arrival at the club, supporters grew to love the loyal asset, whose tenacity and eagerness to play was emblematic of a successful Ferguson signing.
He returned his homeland with LDU Quito in 2019 and won the Copa Ecuador in his sole season with the club. Valencia then moved to Mexican outfit Queretaro in late 2020 and spent a little more than six months on their books before retiring altogether.
It's a look that suits him, though the ex-speedster remains active in the gym and regularly uploads content of his training. Valencia's focus has turned away from running laps in favor of the weights room in recent years, adding a little extra timber to the frame fans were used to seeing at
Okeke George Chijioke
When you don't see Okeke George blogging, he sure will engage him self in sporting activities.
