Global Fútbol

The Villarreal CF training methodology is one of the most successful and respected in the world of football, with El Submarino Amarillo consistently producing top-level professionals at its academy in Castellón at the same time as sharing this methodology with coaches and youngsters all around the world, even as far away as Australia.

Australia is a country with a rapidly expanding football industry, as interest in the beautiful game grows with every year. That was clear to see when thousands of football fans took to the streets in the middle of the Australian night to watch the 2022 World Cup matches of the Socceroos. Now, clubs, institutions and businesses around the world are eager to enter Australia’s increasingly lucrative football market, and clubs like Villarreal CF have an advantage, given that El Submarino Amarillo were ahead of the curve and first established a presence in the country back in the 2018/19 season.

Following the success of the Villarreal Academy centres in Melbourne and Sydney, Villarreal CF have now expanded to Brisbane. This academy in the Queensland capital will open its doors in April with a clinic and, subsequently, players will be able to enrol in the academy, which will hold training sessions at the Spanish Centre Acacia Ridge and which will have two full-time coaches.

Jacobo Muñoz is the director of the Villarreal Brisbane Academy and outlined the objectives as so: “We will offer the genuine Villarreal CF training methodology and curriculum. We will be entering our teams into various competitions and we will also arrange yearly tours to Vila-real to give children and parents experiences of a lifetime. The aim is to deliver the best soccer training in Australia and constantly have our coaches liaise with Villarreal CF to ensure the most up-to-date training techniques are followed. We want to offer the Villarreal CF opportunity to as many children as possible, but quality of training will always be the priority.”

Villarreal CF continue to expand in Australia and beyond through the academies programme

At Villarreal CF, there is a clear understanding that one of the best ways to promote the Villarreal CF brand is by showcasing the club’s exemplary training methodology. This takes time, especially in a country like Australia, but Villarreal CF are patient.

Juan Antón de Salas, the commercial director of the LaLiga Santander club, stated: “The club, through the Villarreal Academy, has been running projects in Australia for five years. Even during the pandemic we continued to do so, as we adapted to the limitations and reality of that situation. The players and their families see us as a club that is close, family-friendly, committed and supportive of the development of the players who form part of the club.”

He continued: “Australia is a country where football is not one of the major sports, however we believe that it has a lot of potential for development. In the projects we have worked on over the last few seasons, we have seen that there is a lot of competition but that, by doing things well and with a long-term vision, the impact in the community can be significant.”

So far, this approach has worked and allowed Villarreal CF to continue expanding in the country, while the international academies programme continues to grow across all five continents, from Australia to Mexico to South Korea to USA to Malaysia to Canada and beyond. As the commercial director concluded: “Right now we have activities in 15 countries with more than 30 projects. We will continue to consolidate these projects and to expand the brand and values of the club into new territories.”