Villarreal have players at every level for the Spain national team
Yellow pride. Villarreal, alongside Barcelona, are the only side that has representatives in each of the Spain youth levels. The Yellows Academy has become a real birthplace for internationals.
The great examples of Yellows Academy graduates or players playing for their country are first-team players Pablo Fornals and Alfonso Pedraza, but there are many more. Actually, there are 23 more. All of them are, or have been, internationals during 2018. If the last few seasons were included, that number would be approaching a half century.
Other stand out names include Samu Chukwueze, who after breaking into the first team, became a Nigeria international. Nacho Díaz, is also shining in a league as tough as Tercera División.
Two other players who have impressed are Iván Morente and Alejando Baena. Both are crucial players for our U19s (Juvenil A) and Spain U18s. Morante is a left-footed midfielder of top quality, while Baena is a talented, mobile No.10. Another one of our current ‘sensations’ is Aixa Salvador, who won the U17 Women’s World Cup with Spain in Uruguay on Saturday.
The Yellows Academy continues to be an example. A hotspot for young footballers shining in the youth levels of their national sides.
Yellows Academy graduates or players who have been internationals in 2018:
- Spain senior side (1): Pablo Fornals.
- Spain U21s (1): Alfonso Pedraza.
- Spain U19s (1): Nacho Díaz.
- Spain U18s (2): Iván Morante y Alejandro Baena.
- Spain U17s (4): Yeremi Pino, Aitor Gelardo, Andrés Campos y Antonio Pacheco.
- Spain Women’s U17s (2): Aixa Salvador y Nerea Vicente.
- Spain U16s (5): Adrián Corral, Rodrigo Alonso, Jordi Ortega, Marcos Sánchez y Nacho Nicolau.
- Spain Women’s U16s (1): Thais Martínez.
- Nigeria senior side (1): Samu Chukwueze.
- Montenegro U21s (1): Nikola Vujnovic.
- Romania U21s (1): Andrei Ratiu.
- Andorra U21s (1): Íker Álvarez.
- Argentina U20s (1): Juan Agüero.
- USA U20s (1): Mukwelle Akale.
- South Korea U19s (1): June Huyk Ahn.
- Sweden U16s (1): Filip Jörgensen.
