Ferran Torres, another World Cup champion to have come through Valencia CF's first team 

Spain made history in New York/New Jersey by lifting the FIFA World Cup trophy for the second time. The decisive moment came from former Valencia CF forward Ferran Torres, whose goal secured victory and embroidered a second star on the chest of La Roja.

The Foios-born forward joined the VCF Academy at just seven years of age and developed through the ranks at the Ciutat Esportiva in Paterna before reaching the first team, where he helped Valencia CF win the Copa del Rey in 2019. He spent three seasons with the club's senior side between 2017 and 2020.

Following yesterday's triumph, Ferran (Spain, 2026) joins the prestigious list of World Cup winners to have represented Valencia CF. The first was Joel Martins, who won the 1958 FIFA World Cup in Sweden with Brazil. He is now part of an illustrious group that also includes Rainer Bonhof (West Germany, 1974); Mario Alberto Kempes (Argentina, 1978); Leonardo, Mazinho, Romário and Paulo Sérgio (Brazil, 1994); Didier Deschamps (France, 1998); David Villa, David Silva, Juan Mata, Carlos Marchena and Raúl Albiol (Spain, 2010); Shkodran Mustafi (Germany, 2014); Adil Rami (France, 2018); and Nicolás Otamendi, Rodrigo De Paul and Guido Rodríguez (Argentina, 2022).

*Grimaldo and Borja Iglesias were at the VCF Academy, but they were not part of the first team squad.

It is also worth noting that former Valencia CF head coaches Gennaro Gattuso (Italy, 2006), Carlos Alberto Parreira (Brazil, 1994) and Jorge Valdano (Argentina, 1986) also lifted the FIFA World Cup with their respective national teams.