Villarreal Academy 2021: New and continued connections

Villarreal’s international expansion project, Villarreal Academy, has gone from strength to strength in 2021 by forming exciting connections with new official partner academies around the globe as well as maintaining solid connections with the club’s existing partners worldwide. The international Yellows family just keeps on growing — and it’s no mean feat.

Challenging times have been a constant the world over in 2021, but with the return of some normality to the football/soccer world this year Villarreal Academy has been able to reach new heights that were not possible in 2020.

2021 has seen the Yellow Submarine add four new official partner academies and three new club collaborations to its books. Not to mention the 20+ continued connections with academies, clubs and schools that are homes away from home for Villarreal across six continents.

What’s more, 2021 has seen the return of visits to Vilarreal CF in Spain by a number of our international partners through Villarreal Academy’s programs such as the Player Training Week. Spanish coaches have also been able to travel once more to some locations in Europe to hold camps and put the Yellows’ methodology into practice, continuing to develop players at home and abroad.

With the significant development and expansion of the project in the last year, let’s take a deeper dive into the newest members of the Villarreal Academy family.

North America

At the start of the year Villarreal had already established nine different academies within North America: Villarreal Virginia, Villarreal Nebraska, Villarreal Force, Villarreal North Texas, Villarreal NY Bolaños, Villarreal Las Vegas, Villarreal Puerto Rico, Villarreal Montreal, and Villarreal Ciudad de México. By the end of 2021, two new additions to Villarreal’s North American family have been made.

Villarreal Houston Academy (USA)

Villarreal Houston became the second academy from Texas to join the fold with a partnership established in March 2021. The main ambition of the academy is to give the players from the local community the opportunity to reach their full potential as soccer players and to do this in a safe, fun and nurturing environment. With directors Cesar and Jennifer at the helm, the academy has gone from strength to strength, regularly holding talent ID events and adding more and more players and teams while also selecting a handful of players to take part in the Villarreal CF Player Training Week in Spain in October 2021.

Villarreal Indiana Academy (USA)

In May 2021, Villarreal Indiana Academy was named an official partner. The partnership is with the International Soccer Academy of America which is the first in-person high school in the US which focuses on their players’ development as full-time student athletes. The academy aims to prepare players for collegiate academics and soccer and/or for players to turn pro. Villarreal Indiana play their games against college teams and practice and study at their impressive facilities. Two players and director Ethan Hunt visited Villarreal CF in Spain for the first time in November 2021. The first of many trips between Mishawaka, IN, USA and Vila-real, Spain, both towns of 50,000 people that are leading the way.

Europe

Further expansion can also be seen in Europe where both a partner academy and club collaboration were added to the Villarreal Academy roster. Joining the likes of Villarreal Halland Academy based in Sweden and affiliate club FC Santa Coloma that resides in Andorra.

Villarreal Krasnodar Academy (Russia)

The Russian academy’s addition was announced in April 2021. Under the leadership of its directors, the academy based in Krasnodar aims to give the players the opportunity to immerse themselves in soccer, learn the Spanish language, and train under the Villarreal CF methodology with guidance from Spanish coaches. Villarreal Krasnodar holds training sessions on a regular basis and has held a number of camps in Sochi with more coming soon in different locations.

Cobh Ramblers FC (Republic of Ireland)

The club based in Cork has formed a collaboration with Villarreal CF to help youth football within their academy and community. The two clubs aim to unite forces annually to deliver a summer football camp for players at Cobh Ramblers, with Villarreal coaches aiding in the running of the camp and selecting players for the Villarreal CF Player Training Week in Spain where young Irish talents can experience Spanish football first hand.

South America

Based off of the longevity and success of the partnership with affiliate school ADIUR in Rosario, Argentina, it was clear a greater expansion was needed within South America.

JMP Soccer School (Bolivia)

The agreement is with the Juan Manuel Peña Soccer School — which is run by former Villarreal CF player and captain of the Bolivia national team Juan Manuel Peña. The collaboration announced in April 2021 sees players at the academy in Santa Cruz de la Sierra train under Villarreal’s ground-breaking methodology. The soccer school instils core principles into its players in an academy environment with regular training sessions and coach education to help players to reach their full potential.

Asia

Following the great work by partner academy Villarreal Korea Academy (Obyungear) based in the Republic of Korea, as well as affiliate schools Kashima Academy, Japan and Dalian, China, two more connections were made in 2021.

Villarreal Israel Academy (Israel)

This partnership saw an agreement between Villarreal and first division Israeli side, Emek Hefer FC. This agreement is unique as it is the first academy in Israel to partner with a European club. Furthermore, the academy run by director Evi Avrahami is exclusively for female players from the ages of 8–19 years of age, with the academies ultimate goal to promote and develop the women’s game throughout the country. The partnership has already proven to be profitable, with players Marian Awad and Emmanuelle Avrahami joining the Villarreal Women’s set up for the 2021/2022 season, as well as a few academy players and the director of coaching having already visited the club for the Player Training Week and Coach Development Program, respectively.

Wakatake Group (Japan)

Villarreal’s agreement with the Japanese company was the second partnership to be agreed within Japan. The collaboration with Wakatake Group, official partner of LaLiga for the development of grassroots football and coach education in Japan, focuses on the need to bring football to those where it is less accessible and lacking. To aid this process and to transform Japanese football, the Villarreal CF methodology has been implemented to develop players both on and off the field.

Oceania

Monash Villarreal FC, Villarreal Melbourne and Villarreal Sydney have all continued as official partners and carried their impressive work from 2020 into 2021, despite very challenging extended lockdown periods in Australia throughout the past year.

All in all, 2021 is a year no-one that is part of the Yellows family will ever forget. With Villarreal CF lifting the 2021 UEFA Europa League trophy, the first major trophy in the club’s history, as well as continued growth for Villarreal Academy internationally, in spite of all the challenges faced, the success of this past year is something to be very proud of — for everyone that makes up the Yellows family. We bid a fond farewell to a year that changed our club’s history forever.

With 2022 just around the corner, we cannot wait to welcome more members to the Villarreal Academy family and see all our international partners in person over the next year, at home and abroad, to continue to make our dreams a reality. Let’s continue dreaming in 2022.

Here’s to a Happy and Healthy New Year to all!