Club Atlético y Recreativo Independiente del Valle, commonly called Independiente del Valle, is one of Ecuador's most dynamic and innovative clubs. Founded in 1958 in Sangolquí city, near Quito, the club has established itself as a rising force in South American football.
The Rayados del Valle (Valley Stripes) or Negriazules play at the Sangolquí sports complex and use Quito's Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa for major matches. The club also owns a cutting-edge training center, considered one of South America's best.
Independiente del Valle made history by reaching the Copa Libertadores final in 2016, a remarkable performance for a relatively young club at continental level. The club then won the Copa Sudamericana in 2019 and Recopa Sudamericana in 2020 and 2023.
The club is renowned for its exceptional training academy which has produced talents like Moisés Caicedo (Chelsea), Gonzalo Plata, Pervis Estupiñán (Brighton), and Alan Franco. This youth development philosophy is at the club's model core.
Independiente del Valle has also won several Ecuadorian championships and established itself as one of the country's best teams, rivaling traditional clubs like Barcelona SC and Emelec.
FAQ
Independiente del Valle mainly plays at its Sangolquí sports complex, but also uses Quito's Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa (35,000 capacity) for major matches, notably in Copa Libertadores. The club also has ultramodern facilities for its training center.
Founded in 1958 in Sangolquí, Independiente del Valle remained long in shadow before accessing Ecuadorian elite in 2010. The club experienced meteoric rise thanks to massive investment in training and infrastructure. The 2016 Copa Libertadores final marked a historic turning point for the club.
Independiente del Valle has won Copa Sudamericana in 2019, two Recopa Sudamericana (2020, 2023), and was Copa Libertadores finalist in 2016. Nationally, the club has won several Ecuadorian championships. These successes testify to the club's spectacular progression.
Among club-trained talents figure Moisés Caicedo (transfer record to Chelsea), Gonzalo Plata, Pervis Estupiñán (Brighton), Alan Franco, Jhegson Méndez, and Robert Arboleda. The club also welcomed experienced players like Fernando Gaibor and Arturo Mina who contributed to continental successes.
The club possesses one of South America's best training academies, with ultramodern facilities and innovative methodology. Independiente del Valle has sold players for over 100 million euros to European clubs, proving its development system excellence. This model inspires other South American clubs.
The club is nicknamed Rayados del Valle (Valley Stripes) referring to its jersey stripes, or Negriazules (Black and Blue) according to its traditional colors. These nicknames reflect the club's visual identity and its anchoring in Los Chillos valley near Quito.
Independiente del Valle's traditional colors are black and blue, arranged in vertical stripes. The emblematic jersey presents black and blue stripes accompanied by white shorts. These distinctive colors allow the club to stand out visually in Ecuadorian football.
Though the club is relatively young, Independiente del Valle has developed rivalries with traditional Ecuadorian clubs like Barcelona SC, Emelec, and LDU Quito. The club's recent success has generated certain animosity with Ecuador's historic football institutions.
Independiente del Valle's economic model relies mainly on training and sale of young talents to European clubs. Player transfers like Moisés Caicedo, Gonzalo Plata or Pervis Estupiñán generate important revenues that are reinvested in the academy and recruitment of new prospects.
Independiente del Valle continues investing in its academy to maintain its leading position in South American training. The club aspires to win Copa Libertadores after its lost 2016 final, and to become a world reference in young talent development.
