5 things you need to know about Villarreal CF

We have taken a look at five things you may not know about Villarreal CF.

Endavant

Since 2004 Villarreal have made it their goal to “convey and represent the club’s values, through their corporate brand ‘Endavant’, in the different activities they carry out for social, cultural, sport and educational purposes.” Endavant is made up of seven programmes which focus on instilling strong values in young players, collaborating with local NGOs, sponsoring centres for community members with disabilities, investing in the health and education of local students, and lots more.

The club slogan, ‘Endavant,’ is a Valencian word which is best translated as ‘keep moving forward’, and is used by by fans as a ‘come on!’ to support the Yellows. This word epitomises what Villarreal is all about; a never-say-die attitude to ‘keep moving forward’ no matter what. This communal spirit has guided Villarreal to promote the sport, aid the local community, and enhance the economy of the Castellón province.

City of Vila-real

The city of Vila-real is significantly smaller than the cities in which many of its competitors are located. Vila-real has a population of just over 50,000 people whereas three of the Yellows’ greatest competitors take root in cities with over 5,000,000 people. Nonetheless, Villarreal CF is competitive both nationally and in Europe as a result of its strong academy programme. Unique to Villarreal is the large number of players who come through the academy and go on to play for the first team.

International Academies

In addition to a strong academy programme within Spain, Villarreal CF has international academies in over 20 locations across the world. Academies have been established in the United States, South Korea, Japan, China, Australia, Sweden, Puerto Rico, and Canada. These international academies have the opportunity to adopt the “methodology of philosophy of the Yellows Academy, with the aim of the players growing both on a sporting and personal level based on Villarreal CF’s values.” Once again, the Yellows demonstrate their passion for more than just the game and serve “as an ambassador for the province of Castellón.”

Commitment to women’s football

Another special aspect of Villarreal CF is its strong commitment to women’s football. Villarreal women’s first team was established in 2000 and has grown tremendously over the past 20 years. In recent years, with manager Sara Monforte’s guidance, the women’s team has been extremely competitive in the second tier. The Yellows achieved a third place finish in the 2018/19 season thus promoting the team to the newly founded Reto Iberdrola (Second Division). Preceding the early conclusion of the 2019/20 season, the women finished fourth in the Southern Group and will fight for promotion to Primera Iberdrola (First Division) in the current, 2020/21 season.

Estadio de la Cerámica

The Estadio de la Cerámica, the Villarreal CF stadium covered with glossy, yellow porcelain stoneware is yet another depiction of the club’s commitment to the region and its prominent industries. Villarreal has become “an ambassador for one of the best products [the] region produces as well as a showcase of this extraordinary material.” Numerous ceramic tile companies have become partners and sponsors of Villarreal CF thus becoming visible nationally and internationally through brand presence and advertising.