Víctor Valdés Arribas made his first-team debut for FC Barcelona on 14 August 2002, in a Champions League qualifier against Legia Warsaw, with Louis van Gaal as coach. Born on 14 January 1982 in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, he was Barcelona's first-choice goalkeeper for more than a decade, made 535 official appearances for the first team and played for the Spain national team between 2010 and 2014.
Youth years in Barcelona and Tenerife
He joined Barcelona's academy on 1 July 1992, aged ten, from the Cinc Copes supporters' club side. That autumn his family moved to Tenerife, where he spent three years at U. D. Ibarra, away from the club. He returned to La Masia in 1995 and came through the youth ranks there until Van Gaal promoted him to the first team in the summer of 2002.
Early first-team seasons
After his European debut against Legia, his first La Liga appearance came on 1 September 2002, a 2-2 draw with Atlético Madrid. In 2004-05 Barcelona won the league and Valdés received his first Zamora Trophy, the award for the goalkeeper with the lowest goals-against record in the Spanish top flight. The following season, 2005-06, the club retained the title and won the 2006 Champions League, beating Arsenal in the final in Paris. He also collected two Spanish Super Cups, in 2005 and 2006.
The Guardiola years
With Pep Guardiola in charge, the 2008-09 season ended with the league, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League. In 2009 Barcelona added the Spanish Super Cup, the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup. Valdés won the Zamora Trophy in three straight seasons, 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11, and again in 2011-12, bringing his total to five. The team were league champions again in 2010 and 2011, won a third Champions League in 2011 and that year added another UEFA Super Cup and another Club World Cup. In 2012 he won his second Copa del Rey.
Final season and injury
On 19 May 2013 he reached 500 official appearances for Barcelona, in a season that brought the sixth league title of his career, in 2012-13. In August 2013 he lifted his sixth Spanish Super Cup. On 26 March 2014, in a match against Celta Vigo, he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, an injury that ruled him out of the World Cup in Brazil. He did not renew his contract and left the club on 30 June 2014.
England and Belgium
In October 2014 he began training with Manchester United during his recovery, and in January 2015 he signed an 18-month deal with the English club. He played twice in the 2014-15 Premier League. In January 2016 he joined Standard Liège on loan, making eight appearances and winning the 2016 Belgian Cup. On 7 July 2016 he signed for Aitor Karanka's Middlesbrough on a free transfer and played 28 Premier League matches in 2016-17, his last season as a professional player.
Spain national team
He made his Spain debut on 3 June 2010 in a friendly against South Korea at the Tivoli Neu in Innsbruck. Weeks later he was part of the squad that won the 2010 World Cup, although he did not play in the tournament. His first competitive international came on 11 October 2011 in Alicante, against Scotland in Euro qualifying. He was also in the squad that won Euro 2012, again without playing, and ended his international career in 2014 with 20 caps.
Coaching career
In September 2018 he started coaching at Escuela Deportiva Moratalaz. In 2019 he took charge of Barcelona's Under-19 side, which played in the UEFA Youth League, and was dismissed on 4 October 2019. On 28 May 2020 UA Horta, of the Spanish fifth tier, announced him as coach for the 2020-21 season. On 24 April 2025 he took over Real Ávila in Segunda Federación: he led the team in four matches, with two wins and two defeats, and left the club in May 2025 after a promotion play-off defeat to Cacereño.
