When Dennis Sanchez was hired as the head coach of Las Vegas Lights FC at the end of January, not only did he have little time to prepare for the start of the USL Championship season, but he was also working with a depleted roster in the midst of a giant overhaul.
Perhaps Sanchez & Co.’s biggest acquisition came just one day before the season-opener when the Lights signed Valentin Noël from MLS NEXT Pro side Austin FC II. The move reunited Sanchez with his former player during Sanchez’s time as an assistant at Austin FC II in 2023.
“We believe Valentin is positioned to not only be a key piece of our roster immediately but also for multiple years to come and is already a high-caliber player at an early stage of his career,” said Lights Sporting Director Gianleonardo Neglia when Las Vegas signed Noël in March.
Noël, 25, was a finalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy while playing collegiately at Pitt before joining Austin FC II. He scored six goals in 25 appearances for the Verde and Black, guiding them to the league title and being named the MLS NEXT Pro Cup MVP.
“His footballing brain is at the top of the list of his qualities,” Sanchez said of Noël. “His understanding of time and space and how to take advantage of that, how to play in combinations in relationship with others is at a very high level.”
Noël has been a monumental success in his first season and has been a catalyst in Las Vegas Lights FC being on the brink of its first playoff appearance in franchise history. The Frenchman has nine goals and six assists, both of which are in the top 11 in the USL Championship.
“[My success] is related to the team and being part of a group that knows what we’re doing,” said Noël. “From the coaching staff, we have a plan, and then it’s all about executing it. I’ve been able to arrive in good areas and finish goals and be involved. I still think I left some [goals] on the table and could have been better, but there’s always room for improvement.”
Noël’s impact is also felt beyond the score sheet. He leads with a quiet confidence that’s contagious among his teammates, and when the Lights have needed someone to step up, he has delivered time and time again.
“First of all, Val is a great human being,” said defender Shawn Smart. “That’s very hard to come across, guys of his quality and his presence. They bring the humble side to it and the good person side to it. It makes it very easy to be his teammate. And as a player, he’s everything that you’d want in an attacking midfielder.”
In a season that started with a massive amount of uncertainty, Noël has been a constant. Now he leads the Lights into a clash in Arizona against a hungry Phoenix Rising team on Saturday (7:30 p.m. PT) with an opportunity to all but clinch a postseason berth with just five matches remaining.
“He’s a good team player, he works off the ball, he’s good at communicating,” Smart said of Noël. “If he isn’t already the best midfielder, he’s one of the best midfielders in the league.”
