Gabriel Valenzuela (footballer)
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | c. 1947 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Holguín, Cuba | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Defender | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| c. 1970–1972 | Azucareros | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1970–1972 | Cuba | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Gabriel Valenzuela (born 1947) is a Cuban footballer. He played as defender for Azucareros throughout the early 1970s. He also played for his native country of Cuba for the 1970 Central American and Caribbean Games and the 1971 CONCACAF Championship.
Career
Valenzuela was first called up by North Korean coach Kim Yong-ha to partake in Cuba's first international tour in a series of games against North Vietnam.[1] He was part of the early 1970s generation that included players such as Jorge Massó, Dagoberto Lara, Luis Holmanza, Fernando Griñán, Rafael Argüelles and Humberto Martínez as the club made their first major breakthrough in their victory in the 1970 Central American and Caribbean Games.[2] He received his largest role during the 1971 CONCACAF Championship where he was made captain of the Diablos Rojos and played in the 3–1 victory against Honduras on 23 November 1971.[3] He made his final appearance in a series of friendlies against the Mexican Olympic team in 1972.[4]
Personal life
Alongside Dominican international footballer and friend José Pichardo, he the Vice President of the Papi Pichardo Foundation based in Virginia which is a charity organization that sends relief funds to children in the Dominican Republic.[5]
References
- ^ "Del Futbol Cubano y sus locuras: Futbol en las Tres Guerras". El Nuevo Blog del Futbol Cubano (in Spanish). 7 May 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
- ^ Ebro, Jorge (4 May 2010). "El Candado de la Defensa tiene sus recuerdos bien guardados". El Nuevo Herald (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 January 2021.
- ^ Mendoza, Eduardo; Lugo, Erik Francisco; ANCCIF (4 November 2021). "V COPA DE NACIONES CONCACAF 1971 (NORCECA) - Match Details". RSSSF. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
- ^ Mendoza, Edu (29 April 2021). "De la historia: Serie Amistosa Cuba-México 1972". El Nuevo Blog del Futbol Cubano (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 March 2026.
- ^ González, Pedro (7 October 2024). "Nada puede impedir que se cumplan los sueños del gran capitán de la selección de fútbol de República Dominicana Papi Sosa". El Nuevo Herald. Retrieved 14 March 2026.