Enrique Arce’s heartfelt message to Luis Rioja at Valencia awards | OneFootball

Enrique Arce sent a heartfelt video message to Luis Rioja during the Premios Augusto Martínez, valores del deporte gala in Paterna, applauding the Valencia winger and voicing a hope of a Spain call-up. According to Superdeporte, the actor addressed him after he received the Regularity and Effort prize.

The Auditorio Antonio Cabezas hosted all the award winners, who collected their honours in a warm, original ceremony that included surprise videos. Messages for Rioja came from Alavés sporting director Sergio Fernández and from Arce.

Arce, famed for playing Arturo Román in La Casa de Papel, a favourite series of Rioja, congratulated the Andalusian and said he would love to see him in Spain’s squad, which begins the World Cup next month in the United States.

He placed Rioja in his current top three Valencia players and joked he is among those urging Carlos Corberán to bring him on when he is not starting. Arce also recalled a November visit to Paterna, invited by Ricardo Arias, when he was too shy to chat, promising a future conversation about Valencia and the series.

At 32, Rioja has played 41 official matches and 2,769 minutes this season, the most in Valencia’s 2025/26 campaign. He has scored three goals and become a fixture for Corberán, valued for consistency and work-rate in short-handed positions, qualities recognised at Wednesday’s gala.

Source: Superdeporte