Rafael Valek Explained

Rafael Valek
Fullname:Rafael Valek Moure
Birth Date:18 December 1932
Birth Place:Bogotá, Colombia
Death Place:Pasto, Colombia
Position:Winger
Years1:1948
Clubs1:Santa Fe[1]
Caps1:0
Goals1:0
Years2:1948–1952
Clubs2:Millonarios[2]
Caps2:19
Goals2:1
Years3:1951
Clubs3:→ Universidad Bogotá (loan)[3]
Caps3:14
Goals3:7
Years4:1953
Clubs4:Genoa
Years5:1955–1956
Clubs5:Oro
Clubs6:Celaya
Years7:1956–1957
Clubs7:Irapuato
Years8:1958
Clubs8:Cúcuta Deportivo

Rafael Valek Moure (18 December 1932 – 17 June 2013) was a Colombian footballer who played professionally in the Colombian Professional Football League, Serie A and Mexican Primera División.

Club career

Born in Bogotá, Valek signed for Independiente Santa Fe as the club won the first Fútbol Profesional Colombiano title in 1948. He joined rivals Millonarios where he played mostly as a reserve from 1948 to 1952. He would win four more Colombian league titles with Millonarios.[4]

In 1953, Valek became the first Colombian to play professional football in Europe, although he signed as a Czechoslovak player through his parents' ancestry, with Italian Serie A side Genoa. Then, he would move to Mexico where he played for Oro, Celaya and Irapuato.[5] In 1958, he finished his playing career with Cúcuta Deportivo.[6]

Personal life

Valek died in Pasto, Colombia on 17 June 2013.[7] Valek was born in Bogota, Colombia on 18 December 1932. He was one of 9 children of Czech father Jan Válek and Colombian María Cristina Moure Bello. He wasbrother of Colombian Captain Vladimir Valek Moure, who died during the Korean War on the 22 May 1951.[8] While Valek, as the rest of his siblings, was born in Colombia, later in his life he reclaimed his Czech nationality. He was married three times and had 9 children. 6 live in Mexico, 2 live in Uruguay and 1 in Pasto. For unknown reasons and a supposedly jealousy incident by his wife in Mexico and some political comments he made, he was deported from Mexico and banned for life.He was never able to return and see his children which was the downfall of his professional career. He married a second time, under complex situations. After an argumentwith his second wife, on revenge, she had him deported again from Uruguay with no chance to see his two boys ever again. They grew estranged and separated. He missedhis children to the last minute of his life and only reconciled with two of them from Mexico. His Uruguayan son remains uninterested to this day about his father's past.[9]

Notes and References

  1. http://colombia.golgolgol.net/equipos/jugadores/santa-fe_103-9399.html?&option=teamtab4 Santa Fe statistics
  2. http://colombia.golgolgol.net/equipos/jugadores/millonarios_103-9401.html?&option=teamtab4 Millonarios statistics
  3. https://archive.today/20130221141704/http://colombia.golgolgol.net/equipos/jugadores/universidad_1915-18685.html?&option=teamtab4 Universidad statistics
  4. Web site: Marca. El 'Ballet Azul' llora la muerte de Rafael Valek. Spanish. 18 June 2013.
  5. Web site: El Tiempo. Rosero Arteaga, Ramiro. Murió Rafael Valek Moure, primer colombiano que jugó en el exterior. Spanish. 17 June 2013.
  6. Web site: El Tiempo. RAFAEL VALEK FUE PIONERO. Spanish. 6 September 1992.
  7. Web site: Liga Postobon. Rengifo, Hammer. Pasto despidió a Valek, primer campeón en Colombia. Spanish. 18 June 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304052640/http://www.ligapostobon.com.co/noticias/pasto-despidio-rafael-valek-primer-campeon-en-143653. 4 March 2016.
  8. Web site: .::: CABALLEROS ANDANTES :: Leyendas Medievales ::: . 2013-10-08 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131030012748/http://www.caballerosandantes.net/index.php?cid=21&page=17 . 2013-10-30 .
  9. Web site: Falleció Rafael Valek Moure, primer futbolista colombiano transferido al exterior - Noticias de Fútbol Colombiano - ELTIEMPO.COM . 2013-12-29 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131230235708/http://www.eltiempo.com/deportes/futbol-colombiano/ARTICULO-WEB-NEW_NOTA_INTERIOR-12876738.html . 2013-12-30 .