Faas Wilkes, the talented Dutch player who captivated Mestalla

In 1953, a friendly match was played between Valencia CF and Torino FC. A game that would mark the career of Dutch player Faas Wilkes, as, according to the chroniclers of the time, the Rotterdam-born player won over the Valencia CF directors with his great performance. Shortly afterwards, he became the first major signing of international renown in our history.

Photos: López Egea y Viña

His arrival also coincided with that of Kubala and Di Stéfano. Wilkes won over the Valencia CF supporters with his talent and his beautifully crafted goals. With the Club, he scored 64 goals, provided 30 assists and won the 1954 Copa title -he was part of the squad, but could not play in the competition due to the restrictive regulations imposed by the RFEF. In this competition, participation was exclusively for national players- in more than 100 matches played -official and friendly-.

After his brief spell in the Netherlands, Faas Wilkes also wore the Levante UD jersey in the 1958-59 season.