Marcos, Mario and Martín dream of being footballers and this leads to sacrifices that their family have to make
A sacrifice made happily, but one that is scarcely recognised. The role of parents in forming players at the Yellows Academy is, of course, fundamental. Not only for educating them, but also to be an example too.
The Navarro Perellós bleed yellows. Juan and Vero are the heads of a family that breathe football. Their three kids play the sport and two of them are involved in the Villarreal youth set-up. The oldest, Marcos, plays at Alboraya U14s (Infantil), the middle brother Mario plays for Villarreal U10s (Benjamín A), and the youngest, Martín, takes part in Villarreal’s psychomotor skills for kids programme.
Getting organised is complicated, but not impossible. Studying, training sessions, matches. With three boys, it’s hard to keep on top of everything, and that is where their super grandad, Vicente, steps in: “On the weekends, the oldest two often play at the same time, so we split up and try and see everyone if possible. The youngest plays on Sunday, which makes it easier. It’s a sacrifice, but it’s worth it,” comments Vero.
Marcos, Mario and Martín are three happy youngsters, as well as being athletes and good students. “In the academic side of things, we’re very calm. The three are very responsible. Marcos wants to be a telecommunications engineer when he’s old, Mario wants to be an architect and Martín isn’t sure, although he does say he wants to be a matador,” says the mother of the family.
In terms of football, Marcos plays as a left-back for Alboraya U14s, Mario looks up to Santi Cazorla and plays for Villarreal U10s (Benjamín A) as a midfielder, while the youngest, Martín dreams of being a goalkeeper.
The behaviour of parents during their kids’ matches is crucial. The Navarro Perelló’s are role models. “The kids are like sponges. They focus on what we’re saying and copy us. If you give them a good example to follow, they’ll behave well,” underlines Vero.
The weekend is intense, and even more so of there is a match at the Estadio de la Cerámica. They are all season-ticket holders, including the grandad. “We live the matches intensely, as we are very close to the Singing Section and we love to see how they cheer on this team. We have a great time together, cheering on the best team in the world,” says Vero. The Navarro Perelló family are an example to follow.
