Valentin Noël

Valentin Noël (born 27 April 1999) is a French professional football player who plays as a midfielder for Las Vegas Lights FC of the USL Championship.

Valentin Noël

Personal information
Date of birth	(1999-04-27) 27 April 1999 (age 25)
Place of birth	Niort, France
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Las Vegas Lights
Number	27
Youth career
2010–2016	Chamois Niortais
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2019–2022	Pittsburgh Panthers	77	(35)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2016–2020	Chamois Niortais II	34	(2)
2018–2020	Chamois Niortais	0	(0)
2023–2024	Austin FC II	25	(6)
2023	→ Austin FC (loan)	0	(0)
2024–	Las Vegas Lights	33	(10)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:12, 5 November 2024 (UTC)

Career

Youth and college

Noël was born and raised in Niort, France playing for his hometown club Chamois Niortais F.C. as a youth player, earning a selection to the reserve team Niort II, earning 34 caps and 2 goals.^[1] In the 2018/2019 season, Noël was called up to Chamois Niortais F.C. but only spent one game on the bench, without earning a cap.^[2]

In 2019, Noël started attending University of Pittsburgh to play college soccer. Noël became a starter in his first year, going on to earn 77 starts, in which he scored 35 goals in addition to notching 13 assists over four years. Noel earned all-freshman team honors in 2019 and all ACC first-team honors in 2020 and 2022, in addition to all ACC second team honors in 2021. In Noel's standout season, he was selected as the 2020 Offensive Player of the Year.^[3]

Professional

Austin FC

In December 2022, Noël was selected as the 20th selection in the First Round of the 2023 MLS SuperDraft by Austin FC.^[4] In March 2023, Noêl signed with Austin FC's second team Austin FC II on a one-year contract.^[5] Noël quickly established himself as a team leader for Austin FC II, scoring a brace to help Austin FC II win their first every competitive match in MLS Next Pro.^[6] Noël signed a short-term loan agreement and made his first appearance with Austin FC's first team in a 1–3 loss to Mazatlán F.C. in their first ever Leagues Cup match, coming on in extra time.^[7] Noël was a starting midfielder for Austin FC II, scoring their second goal, when they won the 2023 MLS Next Pro Cup, beating the Columbus Crew 2 by a score of 3–1. Noël was named the 2023 MLS Next Pro Cup MVP^[8]

Las Vegas Lights FC

On March 8, 2024, Noël transferred to the USL Championship club Las Vegas Lights FC from Austin FC II.^[9]

Career statistics

As of 9 November 2024^[2]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	League	Season	League		League Cup		National Cup[a]		Other		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Niort II	Championnat National 3	2016–2017	0	0	–		–		–		0	0
		2017–2018	14	0	–		–		–		14	0
		2018–2019	20	2	–		–		–		20	2
		2019–2020	0	0	–		–		–		0	0
Chamois Niortais F.C. (loan)	Ligue 2	2018–2019	0	0	–		0	0	–		0	0
	Club Total		34	2	–		0	0	–		34	2
Austin FC II	MLS Next Pro	2023	25	6	4[b]	2	–		–		29	8
Austin FC (loan)	Major League Soccer	2023	0	0	–		0	0	1[c]	0	1	0
	Club Total		25	6	4	2	0	0	0	0	30	8
Las Vegas Lights FC	USL Championship	2024	33	10	2[d]	0	2	1	–		37	11
Career total			92	18	6	2	2	1	1	0	101	21

Notes

1. Includes U.S. Open Cup
2. Appearance(s) in MLSNP Playoffs
3. Appearance(s) in Leagues Cup
4. Apppearnace(s) in USLC Playoffs

Honors

Austin FC II

• MLS Next Pro Cup: Champions – 2023

Individual

• 2023 MLS Next Pro Cup MVP
• All-ACC First Team: 2022^[10]

References

1. "2022 Men's Soccer Roster". www.PittsburghPanterhs.com. Pitt Panthers. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
2. "V. NOËL". www.int.Soccerway.com. Soccer Way. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
3. "Valentin Noel". www.PittsburghPanthers.com. University of Pittsburgh. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
4. "Austin FC select midfielder Valentin Noel after SuperDraft trade with St. Louis CITY SC". www.MLSSoccer.com. Major League Soccer. December 21, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
5. "Austin FC II Adds Three MLS SuperDraft Picks to MLS NEXT Pro Roster". AustinFC.com. Austin FC II. March 3, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
6. "Austin FC Announces Updates to Technical Staff Ahead of 2023 Season". www.AustinFC.com. Austin FC. January 2, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
7. "Match Report: Austin FC vs. Mazatlán FC - July 21, 2023". www.AustinFC.com. Austin FC. July 21, 2023. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
8. Gordon, Colby (October 22, 2023). "Austin FC II rallies late in second half to win MLS Next Pro Cup". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
9. "Austin FC II Transfers Midfielder Valentin Noël to Las Vegas Lights FC". AustinFC.com. Austin FC II. March 8, 2024. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
10. "2022 All-ACC Men's Soccer Team Announced". theacc.com. Atlantic Coast Conference. November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.

External links

• Valentin Noël at kicker (in German)
• Austin FC profile