Villarreal CF

Club History

Villarreal Club de Fútbol was founded on March 10, 1923, as Club Deportivo Villarreal in the small town of Vila-real, Castellón, spending decades in regional and lower divisions before promotion to La Liga in 1998 under president Fernando Roig’s ownership. The “Yellow Submarine” rose rapidly, winning the Intertoto Cup in 2003 and 2004, reaching the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in 2005–06 (led by stars like Riquelme and Forlán), and finishing league runners-up in 2007–08. Under Unai Emery from 2020, they clinched the inaugural UEFA Europa League title in 2021 against Manchester United, followed by another Champions League semi-final run in 2022. With 1 La Liga second place, 7 Europa League semi-finals or better, and consistent European qualification, Villarreal plays at the renovated Estadio de la Cerámica (22,000 capacity, completed 2022 with new roof, 4K screens, and sustainable features), embodying a model of sustainable success for a modest club in Spain’s elite football landscape.