Villarreal Reserve and Academy teams represented in the top 132 promising footballers

For the second consecutive year, ten players from the Villarreal Reserve and Academy teams have been chosen by the Technical Committee for the 2016 Football Draft  (Comité Técnico de Fútbol Draft 2016) as some of the most talented players across Spain between 16 and 20 years old.

The Technical Committee, their president Iñaki Sáez and all the recruiters of the youth teams, have selected the top 132 young players, 12 per position, after collecting information on all the most promising Spanish footballers, who will have the chance to win one of the prestigious Futbol Draft awards, previously won by Piqué, Silva, Ramos, Llorente, Cesc and Mata.

There will be four Committees who have the ever difficult job of narrowing down the top 132 to 77 players. From there they will cut down the bunch again to 55 and finally once more to get the final top 33 players, who will then be split into the Spanish Reserve and Academy Gold, Silver and Bronze elevens. On the other hand, in Women’s football, the list of candidates will be published in the second Technical Committee of the year and at the end of the season will be cut down to the Women’s Gold eleven.  

The Yellow Reserve and Academy team players are eligible for the following awards:

• Best Left Back: Adrián Marín (First Team, 1997), Edu Adell (U19 A team, 1999) and Pedro García (U16 A team, 2000).
• Best Right Centre Back: Pepe Castaño (U19 A team, 1998).
• Best Right Centre Midfielder: Manu Morlanes (Villarreal C team, 1999).
• Best Left Centre Midfielder: Rodri Hernández (Villarreal B team, 1996).
• Best Right Midfielder: Nahuel Leiva (First Team, 1996).
• Best Left Midfielder: Alfonso Pedraza (Villarreal B team, 1996) and Iván Martín (U19 A Roda team, 1999).
• Best Centre Forward: Darío Poveda (U19 A team, 1997).