What Antonio Valencia is doing now as images emerge of him looking absolutely jacked | OneFootball

Antonio Valencia has certainly been a busy man following his retirement from football in 2021.

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The former Manchester United winger-turned-defender spent a decade at Old Trafford, becoming a cult favourite for the Red Devils fans due to his work rate and willingness to always give his all, and it seems that intense work ethic didn't falter once he hung his boots up for good.

The Ecuadorian has been immensely busy following his retirement, with an impressive new physique and an exciting new career secured.

While a lot of footballers turn to coaching or punditry once their playing days are over, Valencia took a completely different path, choosing to create his own football club instead.

That's right, the 37-year-old is the founder of AV25 Club Deportivo, otherwise known as Tumbaco AV25, creating the club last year and is currently the owner of the club, based in his native Ecuador.

Valencia regularly shares updates on his work with the club through his Instagram page and seems to be thriving in his new position as the owner.

It's a far cry from his days bursting down the right flank for United and terrorising Premier League defences.

What does Antonio Valencia look like now?

While it seems Valencia has been a busy man, founding his own football club and running it as the owner, he has still managed to find the time to dedicate himself to the gym and working on his physique.

Recent photos that emerged online have shown the former United man looking incredibly jacked, and it's clear to see he's pumped plenty of iron since his retirement, putting on a considerable amount of muscle.

Known for his blistering pace during his playing days, the transformation is quite drastic, with the 37-year-old clearly now prioritising lifting weights as opposed to working on his cardio.

Valencia's body transformation follows in the footsteps of other retired stars, such as Fernando Torres, who's previously hit the headlines in recent years after hitting the gym himself and showing off a new, almighty physique.

Having signed for United in 2009 from Wigan Athletic for just £16m, Valencia spent 10 years at the club, becoming one of Sir Alex Ferguson's biggest bargain buys.

He played 339 times for the Red Devils, winning nine trophies with the team, including two Premier League titles and was even named the club's Player of the Year in two separate seasons. The first came in the 2011-12 season before he again won the award five years later in the 2016-17 season, a testament to how long he'd been consistently performing for United.

Initially starting off as an attacking winger, the 37-year-old was converted into a full-back as the years progressed, dropping further back on the pitch as United looked to get the most out of him, and it clearly worked.

With 91 international caps for Ecuador, only six players featured more for the country over the years, so it's refreshing to see him return to his homeland now that his playing days are over, giving back to the nation in the form of is brand new club.