Legends of LALIGA: Juan Carlos Valerón, the magic midfielder who became a hero in Las Palmas and La Coruña

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Juan Carlos Valerón, who was born and reared in the Canary Islands village of Arguineguín, certainly never dreamed he would grow up to be one of the greatest club legends at Deportivo de La Coruña, the Galician team that plays 1,855 kilometres away.

However, that is precisely what transpired, as the resident of the Canary Islands went on to record the fourth-most appearances in Dépor history.

When Valerón was little, all he wanted was to play football for UD Las Palmas, the team on his island. Though it wasn't simple, he also succeeded in realising this desire. Arguineguín's location on the opposite side of Gran Canaria from UD Las Palmas' facilities meant that there weren't many possibilities to impress the club's scouts.

The young Juan Carlos was actually able to grab the attention of talent-spotters from Los Amarillos and get a position at the esteemed UD Las Palmas school when they came to see Valerón's elder brother, Miguel Ángel.

At the start of the 1995-96 season, when Los Amarillos were playing in the third division of Spanish football, the midfielder made his debut for UD Las Palmas' first squad after working his way up through the ranks and making an impression with the side's B team. The thrill of representing the island's team was enhanced by playing with big brother Miguel Ángel, and the season concluded with promotion to LALIGA HYPERMOTION level.

Valerón's skill was well recognised by the summer of 1997, and he signed a contract with RCD Mallorca, another island club, in preparation for his LALIGA EA SPORTS debut. Once he made an impression there and was included in the Spanish team that won the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in 1998, he was transferred again, this time to Atlético de Madrid.

Valerón was not at all to blame for Los Colchoneros' relegation at the conclusion of the 1999-2000 season, as his efforts won him a transfer to the recently crowned Spanish champions, Deportivo de La Coruña.

The Valerón and Dépor love story

In terms of football, Valerón felt most at home at Estadio Riazor, which is located about 2,000 miles distant from the Canary Islands. With his variety of skills on display, Valerón was the ideal midfield player for the Súper Dépor team, coached by Javier Irureta.

Valerón was a combination artist and machine. He was technically excellent, strategically astute, as courageous as anybody, and a master of the pause before a pass. His performance was visually stunning as well as efficient, as he assisted Deportivo de La Coruña in winning the Spanish Super Cup and another Copa del Rey.

Personally, he felt that the 2003-04 season was the finest, as Deportivo de La Coruña advanced to the Champions League semifinals and had unforgettable nights at the Estadio Riazor. The most memorable match was the Galician team's 4-0 victory at home in their quarterfinal second leg against AC Milan, after they had lost 4-1 on the road. Valerón dominated the middle of the pitch and registered a goal.

His playing time was cut short by injuries as the years went by. The midfielder barely reached 1,000 minutes in 2010/11, when the squad was demoted from LALIGA EA SPORTS level, which helps to explain the team's difficulties. Valerón stayed put and played his 12th season at the Estadio Riazor at the LALIGA HYPERMOTION level despite being demoted.

After that relegation, Valerón said, "I'm just as excited to play for Dépor in the second tier as I am to play for the national team," which meant a lot considering how much he enjoyed playing for Spain during his 46 appearances.

Valerón and Dépor won the LALIGA HYPERMOTION championship and promotion as a result of their choice to stay, and he went on to play one more top-tier campaign in Galicia in 2012-13.

An emotional return to UD Las Palmas

After 16 years away from the game, Valerón made the decision to rejoin UD Las Palmas in the summer of 2013 and return to his home Gran Canaria. When he returned, Los Amarillos were in the second level. The midfielder was among the best in the league, leading the islanders to promotion in 2014-15. He then played one more season with LALIGA EA SPORTS in 2015-16 before hanging up his boots at the age of 40.

His final three seasons with his local team had a lasting influence on the island's youth, as well as on other football players from the island, such Sandro Ramírez. Sandro recollected Valerón's tenure with LALIGA, saying, "It's what I remember, and one word would sum him up." He was enchanted.

For the badge and his local club, he never wavered and always gave it his best. He always showed up to encourage the team and spoke favourably about the organisation. Because he was always a leader to us, he won over the supporters.

Now that Sandro has returned to UD Las Palmas later in his own career, he is following in Valerón's footsteps. If there's one thing to learn from Juan Carlos Valerón's career, it's that in LALIGA EA SPORTS, it is feasible to become a hero in several cities. Valerón attained it via commitment, deference, and, of course, his skill with the ball.