Valeri was born in Canberra and played youth football for Tuggeranong United and at the Australian Institute of Sport before moving to Italy to sign with Inter Milan in 2002.

[14] In May 2019, it was announced that Valeri had signed on for National Premier Leagues Victoria side Dandenong City, along with former A-League players Adrian Leijer and Brendon Santalab.

He captained the Australian Under-17 team, the 'Joeys', at the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship and competed with the Under-23 squad, the 'Olyroos', at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

After being an unused substitute in a 2007 Asian Cup qualifier against Bahrain in 2006, the 22-year-old received his second call up to the senior Australian national team in March 2007, as a replacement for the injured defensive midfielder Vince Grella.

[16] Former Socceroos coach Graham Arnold has described Valeri as a key player of the future, and possible successor to Grella.