Valencia CF

Lore & Background

Valencia has won six La Liga titles and finished as runners-up six times, as well two Segunda División titles, eight Copa del Rey trophies, one Spanish Super Cup, and one Copa Eva Duarte. In European competitions, they have won two Inter-Cities Fairs Cups, one UEFA Cup, one UEFA Super Cup, and one UEFA Intertoto Cup. They have also reached two consecutive UEFA Champions League Finals in 2000 and 2001. The club was champion of the Small Club World Cup in 1966, and runner-up in 1955, despite not having FIFA world title recognition, and fourth in the Latin Cup of 1953. In 2004, the IFFHS named Valencia World's Best Club. Valencia were also members of the G-14 group of leading European football clubs and since its end has been part of the original members of the European Club Association.

Reader's Guide

Five former members of the club have been inducted into the FIFA International Football Hall of Fame, a project dedicated to preserving the memory of important figures in football history. These include Alfredo Di Stéfano, Mario Alberto Kempes, Romário, Jorge Valdano and Didier Deschamps. Valencia also has four personalities in the FIFA 100, its induction taking place in 2004 as part of the centenary celebrations of FIFA's creation. The ches club is the team with the most Zarra Trophy winners (5), the fourth in the Zamora Trophy (9) and fifth in the Pichichi Trophy (6) at the national level, at the international level it's the third Spanish team with the most FIFA World Player nominees (9) and the fourth in the Ballon d'Or (23), it has ten nominations for the Golden Boy Award, one for the 2019 Kopa Trophy with Lee Kang-in and one for the 2024 Yashin Trophy with Giorgi Mamardashvili.

It has been included three times in the UEFA Team of the Year, with Santiago Cañizares and Kily González in 2001 and David Villa in 2010, the last repeating in the FIFPro World XI in the same year.

Did You Know?

• Four Valencia players were part of the Spanish national team that won the 2010 FIFA World Cup: David Villa, Carlos Marchena, David Silva and Juan Mata.
• In 2026, three footballers who came through the Valencia youth system were part of the squad that won the World Cup: Ferran Torres, Alejandro Grimaldo, and Borja Iglesias.

The Ambition of the Treble

The 2018–19 campaign marked Barcelona's 119th season and 88th consecutive top-flight campaign. Coming off a double of La Liga and the Copa del Rey, the club aimed for a third continental treble. Lionel Messi's stellar performances kept this alive until 7 May 2019, when Barcelona infamously lost 4–0 to eventual winners Liverpool in the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals, having been up 3–0 after the first game. The league title was secured earlier on 27 April. The loss at Anfield derailed the team and they went on to lose the Copa del Rey final as well, to Valencia. Barça's league title was its eighth in eleven seasons; their next league title would be won in 2022–23. Head coach Ernesto Valverde was sacked midway through the next season. The season was the first since 2001–02 without former captain Andrés Iniesta.

Summer Squad Reconstruction

The transfer window saw significant activity. On 3 June, Barcelona extended Samuel Umtiti's contract through 2022–23 with a €500 million release clause. On 11 June, Gerard Deulofeu transferred to Watford for €13 million plus €4 million in variables. On 8 July, Paulinho was loaned to Guangzhou Evergrande for one season.

On 9 July, Arthur joined from Grêmio for €31 million plus €9 million in variables, signing for six seasons with a €400 million buyout clause. On 12 July, Clément Lenglet joined from Sevilla after Barcelona paid his €35.9 million release clause, signing for five seasons with a €300 million buyout clause. On 23 July, Douglas was loaned to Sivasspor and Adrián Ortolá was loaned to Deportivo La Coruña. On 24 July, Malcom joined from Bordeaux for €41 million plus €1 million in variables, signing for five seasons.

On 1 August, Lucas Digne transferred to Everton for €20.2 million plus €1.5 million in variables. On 3 August, Arturo Vidal joined from Bayern Munich for €18 million, signing for three seasons. On 4 August, Aleix Vidal transferred to Sevilla for €8.5 million plus €2 million in variables. On 9 August, Yerry Mina transferred to Everton for €30.25 million plus €1.5 million in variables, with a buy-back clause, and André Gomes was loaned to Everton for the season for a €2.25 million fee.

On 16 August, Marlon transferred to Sassuolo for €6 million with a buy-back clause. On 20 December, Jeison Murillo was loaned from Valencia with a €25m purchase option.

Domestic Dominance and European Struggles

Barcelona started the league season strongly. On 18 August, they defeated Alavés 3–0 with two goals from Messi, including the 6,000th La Liga goal in the club's history, and one from Coutinho. On 25 August, they beat Real Valladolid 0–1 with a goal from Dembélé. On 2 September, they demolished Huesca 8–2, with Messi scoring 2 goals and giving a penalty to Suárez who scored his 2nd goal.

On 15 September, they defeated Real Sociedad 1–2 with goals from Suárez and Dembélé. On 18 September, they beat PSV Eindhoven 4–0 in the Champions League, with Messi scoring his record-breaking 8th Champions League hat-trick and Dembélé scoring. On 23 September, they drew Girona 2–2. On 26 September, they lost to Leganés 2–1.

On 29 September, they drew Athletic Bilbao 1–1. On 3 October, they defeated Tottenham 2–4 in the Champions League. On 7 October, they drew with Valencia CF 1-1. On 20 October, they defeated Sevilla 4-2.

On 24 October, they defeated Inter Milan 2-0 in the Champions League. On 28 October, they thrashed Real Madrid 5–1 at Camp Nou, with Suárez scoring a hat-trick. On 3 November, they defeated Rayo Vallecano 2-3. On 6 November, they drew Inter Milan 1-1 in the Champions League but still made the knockout stages.

On 11 November, they lost 3-4 to Betis. On 24 November, they drew Atlético Madrid 1-1. On 28 November, they defeated PSV Eindhoven 1-2 in the Champions League to ensure top spot in Group B. On 2 December, they defeated Villarreal 2-0. On 8 December, they defeated Espanyol 0-4.

On 11 December, they drew 1-1 with Tottenham in the Champions League. On 16 December, they defeated Levante 0-5. On 22 December, they defeated Celta Vigo 2-0. On 6 January, they defeated Getafe 1-2.

The league title was secured on 27 April. In the Champions League, they infamously lost 4–0 to Liverpool on 7 May 2019 in the semi-final second leg, having been up 3–0 after the first game. They lost the Copa del Rey final to Valencia.

The Messi Era and Leadership Transition

Lionel Messi's performances were stellar throughout the season. He scored the 6,000th La Liga goal in the club's history on 18 August. He scored his record-breaking 8th Champions League hat-trick on 18 September against PSV Eindhoven. He scored a beautiful equaliser against Valencia on 7 October.

He scored 2 goals in the 3-4 loss to Betis on 11 November. He scored two sensational free kicks in the 0-4 win over Espanyol on 8 December. He scored yet another hat-trick in the 0-5 win over Levante on 16 December. He scored in the 2-0 win over Celta Vigo on 22 December.

He scored in the 1-2 win over Getafe on 6 January. The Supercopa de España title on 12 August was the first won under his captaincy, and he claimed his record-breaking 33rd trophy with the club. The season was the first since 2001–02 without former captain Andrés Iniesta. Head coach Ernesto Valverde was sacked midway through the next season.