La Liga Third Place Finish 2017–18

The Yellow Submarine: a small club with a big history.

Villarreal Club de Fútbol, S.A.D., usually abbreviated to Villarreal CF, is a Spanish professional football club based in Villarreal, in the Castellón province of eastern Spain, that plays in La Liga, the top flight of Spanish football.

Quick Facts

Competition: La Liga (Primera División)
Manager: Marcelino García Toral (mid-season) & Javier Calleja
Final position: 3rd Place
Key outcome: UEFA Champions League Qualification
Top scorer: Gerard Moreno

Lore & Background

Founded in 1923, the club spent much time of its history in the lower divisions of Spanish football and began in La Liga in 1998. In the 21st century, Villarreal gained some league stability, although they sustained relegation in 2012, rebounding the next year and then remaining in the top division to date. The club made its first appearance in the UEFA Champions League in 2005, with its best result being the semi-finals in 2006 and 2022. Villarreal also appeared in the UEFA Europa League during this time, and won the competition in 2021 by defeating Manchester United in the final, clinching their first major trophy.

Reader's Guide

The club is nicknamed El Submarí Groguet or El Submarino Amarillo (Yellow Submarine) due to its yellow home kit, and due to being a low-profile team compared to Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, and regional rivals Valencia. They play their home games at the Estadio de la Cerámica, and have been touted as an example of a small but successful club.