Yesterday, Enner Valencia defeated the host of the 22nd World Cup – Qatar with two goals and thus made history.
The experienced Ecuadorian thus knocked down the host of the World Cup at the opening of the tournament for the first time in history.
The Turkish Fenerbahçe footballer was born in 1989 in San Lorenzo and had an extremely difficult childhood, but he always knew his goal – to become a professional footballer. However, finances were a big problem for him because, wherever he wanted to go, he couldn’t pay for accommodation.
Enner still managed to cope with the problems and when he got serious money, new troubles appeared – an Ecuadorian gang kidnapped his sister Ersi and demanded a ransom of 1.5 million pounds.
– I have no words to describe the happiness I feel – Ener said after his sister was saved.
The turbulent times did not end there either. Namely, while Ecuador was playing against Chile in the qualifiers for the World Cup, Valencia “feigned” that he felt bad.
As he was taken off the field, Enner was on oxygen and 12 police officers chased after the vehicle as they wanted to arrest him for failing to pay child support to the mother of his daughter – at the time he owed her £13,000.
– She is only interested in personal financial gain. Together with her mother, she prevented me from seeing my daughter. That’s why I will now try to fight for the custody of my daughter Beira – announced Valencia at the time.
As far as football itself is concerned, Valencia took his first football steps in Emelek, and in 2013 he transferred to Pachuca, Mexico.
He had impressive statistics at the time – he played 23 games and scored 18 goals. That earned him a transfer to the English club West Ham.
He played for three years for the Hammers, followed by a loan to Everton, then he returned to Mexico, but to Tigres, but in 2020 he returned to Europe, where he is Fenerbahçe’s game holder.
He made his debut for the Ecuador national team in 2012 – in 75 games he scored 37 goals. He is the scorer of all five of Ecuador’s goals at World Cups as he scored three in 2014 in Brazil.
Ecuador will play against the Netherlands in the second round of the World Cup on November 25 at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha.
