On February 17, 2020, Valencia CF, one of Spain’s most well known European soccer clubs drew the attention of soccer fans worldwide when they inaugurated their first soccer academy in Marrakech. The news was announced at a press conference in where Luis Martinez, director of Valencia CF Academy shared the club’s big picture vision to “help develop Morocco’s soccer youth under the CF mythology.” He also added that he sees the project as inspiring more African countries to enrich their soccer culture.
Valencia CF has won several soccer competitions around the world and its newest headquarters at the Grand Stadium of Marrakech will be the location to train regional students between ages 5-18 years old. Coaching them will be experts Eno Aliaga whose resume includes over ten years of experience at Valencia CF and other Spanish executives who follow the same methodologies.
Moroccans are soccer enthusiasts and support the sport including having private clubs of their own. The largest one is the Kawab of Marrakech.
Martinez also noted plans to collaborate with these organizations and discover football stars in Marrakech. One of the reasons Marrakech was chosen as the project’s location is because players in Morocco have a good reputation for their technique.
This is not the first time CF Valencia has opened a school abroad. Borja Eroles, manager of international projects manages the academies in Japan, the US, Canada, Portugal, Italy, the UK, and Greece. The grand opening is scheduled for February 23, 2020.