The academy prospect has been selected to take part in the prestigious High Potentials programme by the Association des Clubs Francophones de Football (ACFF)
Sofía Irún Molina (Brussels, Belgium, 23/05/2011), a Villarreal CF girl’s U14 player, is standing out both for the Yellows and in Belgium. Her innate talent, together with the skills developed in the Villarreal CF youth academy, have allowed her to participate in the prestigious High Potentials programme of the Association des Clubs Francophones de Football (Association of Francophone Football Clubs – ACFF).
From Brussels to Vila-rela
Sofia’s football journey began in Brussels (Belgium), the city where the young footballer was born, as her parents Manuel Irún and María Molina were based in the heart of Europe working as European Commission staff. So, at just four years old, Sofia started playing in La Rojita de Bruselas, a football academy created in 2010 by Spanish families living in the European capital, with the spirit of educating children through sport. At the age of six, the family moved to Budapest (Hungary) for professional reasons, so Sofia continued her training at the Buda Juniors academy and later at the Barça Academy Hungary.
In 2022, Sofia made the leap to Villarreal CF. After participating in a summer camp in Benicàssim, the player received a call from Patri Traver – coordinator at the time of Villarreal Women – to start training with the Submarine’s girls’ U12 side (Alevín Femenino), playing and winning the Easter Yellow Cup 2022. It was in the 2023/24 season when she joined the Yellows for good.
Indeed, Sofia greatly appreciates the support she has received at Villarreal CF: “Villarreal is like a family and with my teammates we form a team in which we all help each other to improve. I’ve grown as a player here and I’ve also learnt to read the game and make better decisions on the pitch,” she explains. She adds: “Every week we analyse moves and games, which allows us to understand what we can do better as players and as a team. This way we can correct mistakes and overcome new challenges like the Belgian Federation’s High Potentials programme.”
A step towards the highest level: the High Potentials programme
In September 2024, Sofia was selected to participate in the prestigious High Potentials programme of the Association des Clubs Francophones de Football (ACFF); a programme that focuses on the early detection of players with high potential in order to provide them with complementary training to that offered by their club, covering technical, tactical, physical and mental aspects. So, through training sessions at the ProximusCamp in Tubize, Sofia began to be part of this initiative, which came to the family’s attention through Ignacio Galán, president of La Rojita de Bruselas.
“I’m having a great time. It’s true that at first I was a bit scared because, although I have family and friends in Belgium, I didn’t know anyone in the programme,” confesses Sofía. Despite this uncertainty, the Villarreal CF player is very positive about the experience: “The training sessions are hard, but I love it because I’m learning a lot of new things and making friends. Sometimes I have to study at the airport, for example, but it’s worth the effort.”
Another very positive aspect for the young footballer is the multiculturalism she is constantly exposed to. “At the beginning it was difficult for me to get used to French again, because the football terminology in this language was completely new to me. But I learned there that it doesn’t matter if we don’t speak the same language, because football itself is a language that unites us all,” explains Sofia.
In these sessions, Sofia has been able to share training sessions with players from top clubs such as Anderlecht and Standard Liege, allowing her to grow as a footballer and as a person. “On the one hand, it helps her to connect with the culture, language and environment of her home country. On the other hand, it makes her understand the importance of football as a sport that integrates different nationalities. And, on the other hand, on a sporting level, it accelerates the learning process in different contexts, ways of playing and adapting to different profiles and positions on the pitch,’ explains her father Manuel Irún.
Sofía highlights the difference in play between the two countries: ‘”n Spain the game is more technical, we try to build the game from the back to the opposition goal. In Belgium, on the other hand, it is more physical and more intense, with more emphasis on the individual play of each player. Also, the coaching staff focuses more on improving our individual skills.”
Now, with an intensive training camp in Belgium at the end of February, and the possibility of progressing further in the programme to become part of the Belgium U15 national team, Sofia has a bright and exciting future ahead of her.
Support from the family
Sofia’s path is also marked by the unconditional support of her father, Manuel Irún, a former footballer from Castellón. “I transmit to her the importance of effort, both in sport and in her studies. Also, as football is a team game, I always advise her to think about how to make her teammates better, both on and off the pitch,” says Manuel. And he adds: “The best advice she always receives at home is to be herself and to take advantage of opportunities to continue learning, respecting those who teach her and always showing interest.”
