The players who have starred at both Valencia CF and FC Barcelona

Valencia CF vs FC Barcelona is a huge fixture for football fans across the globe, and it comes as no surprise that some of the biggest names in football have lined up on both sides of the rivalry. These are just a few of them. 

João Cancelo

João Cancelo was one of the top performers for FC Barcelona in 2023/24. The full-back displayed the experience he has built up by playing all over Europe during his career, a career which included a stint at Mestalla. 

Cancelo was contractually connected with Valencia CF between 2014 and 2018, even if he only made 91 appearances for Los Che in that time. In the 2014/15 and 2015/16 seasons, he reached four LALIGA EA SPORTS assists in each of them. 

Ferran Torres

Born and raised in the Valencian Community, Ferran Torres came through the academy at Valencia CF and made his debut for the first team at the age of 17. He was one of the most impressive academy graduates to emerge in several years, which is saying something considering how many talented players pass through the academy at Paterna. 

After helping Los Che win a Copa del Rey, Ferran Torres signed for Manchester City and won a Premier League title under Pep Guardiola’s orders before returning to LALIGA EA SPORTS to sign with FC Barcelona in January of 2022. 

Oriol Romeu

Oriol Romeu returned to FC Barcelona in 2023/24 to play for the club whose academy he graduated from. He debuted with Barça Atlètic, the B team, in 2008/09 and made his first LALIGA EA SPORTS appearance with FC Barcelona in May 2011 under Pep Guardiola. Just a few months later, Romeu joined Chelsea before making a short-lived return to Spain to feature on loan at Valencia CF in 2013/14. 

Following another one-season loan spell at Stuttgart, Romeu signed for Southampton, where he even wore the captain's armband, making more than 250 appearances for the English side. In the summer of 2022, he returned to Spain to become the anchor of the midfield for Girona FC. His performances were so good that FC Barcelona decided to move for their academy graduate in summer 2023, and he has added experience to Xavi’s midfield, before returning to Girona FC on loan for 2024/25. 

Jordi Alba

Jordi Alba may have graduated from Valencia CF’s academy but he actually started his footballing education off at FC Barcelona’s La Masia. After being released by the side from the Catalan capital, he moved to Cornellà and then on to Valencia CF, where he broke into the first team as one of the most promising wide players in world football.

Following three very impressive seasons in the Valencia CF first team, during which he mastered the transition from left winger to left-back, he was purchased by FC Barcelona and stayed there from 2012 to 2023, winning 17 titles. 

Paco Alcácer

Paco Alcácer starred at Valencia CF before moving to FC Barcelona in 2016 and spending two seasons in Catalonia. Born in the Valencia suburbs, Alcácer joined his childhood club’s academy as a young boy and rose through the ranks before making his first-team debut at the tender age of 17. He went on to score 43 times in 124 appearances, earning the club captaincy, before joining FC Barcelona. 

At the Camp Nou he managed a very useful minutes-per-goal ratio of one strike every 153 minutes and helped his side win back-to-back Copa del Rey titles and one LALIGA EA SPORTS championship. A move to Borussia Dortmund followed, where he continued his remarkable knack for finding the back of the net in big games. 

Gaizka Mendieta

The retired Spain international Gaizka Mendieta made his name at Valencia CF, representing the east coast club from 1992 to 2001, most famously winning the 1999 Copa del Rey and scoring one of the tournament’s best ever goals in the final against Atlético de Madrid. 

From there, the Basque-born player became the most expensive Spanish player of all time when he moved to Italian side Lazio before moving back to LALIGA EA SPORTS with FC Barcelona on loan. Now a LALIGA Ambassador, Mendieta is fondly remembered by both sets of fans. 

Besides those mentioned above, there are several more players who have also worn the white of Valencia CF and blue and red of FC Barcelona. In recent times, Jérémy Mathieu, André Gomes, Jasper Cillessen, Neto, Ilaix Moriba and Nico González have all done so, and many more surely will in the future.