Armando Valdes

Born in Panama, Armando Dely Valdes was an international footballer for Panama, and is considered to be one of the greatest players to emerge from the country. Known as "El Pele Panameno" or "The Panamanian Pele", Dely Valdes won all major titles at the club level including the Copa Libertadores.

Starting his playing career at CD Arabe Union, in Panama, Dely Valdes' performances impressed the likes of Argentine giants, Argentinos Juniors. Thus began a series of title winning seasons which included two league championships with Argentinos, as well as the 1985 Copa Libertadores as well as the 1986 Copa Interamericana. After having won everything there was to offer with Argentinos Juniors, Dely Valdes decided to move on and Instituto de Cordoba succeeded in getting hold of his signature for a season. Following the club with a spell at San Martin, Armando decided that it was time to fly across the Atlantic and try his hand at Europe.

Israel became the destination of his choice as he came to Macabi Tel Aviv in 1989, for a season, and then to Beitar Tel Aviv for another. After two unsuccessful seasons where he spent most of the time acclimatizing to the new ways of the country, Armando decided to go back to South America although he chose Uruguay as his destination, not Panama. After a season each at Penarol and Liverpool (Uruguay), Armando Dely Valdes hung up his boots.

In 2001, Armando suffered a massive cardiac arrest, following which he fell into a coma. In 2004, Armando Dely Valdes succumbed to various infections that complicated his treatment process. The Panamanian football federation renamed the Arabe Unido football stadium after Armando, calling it the Estadio Armando Dely Valdes.