Foulquier: “I feel more comfortable, stronger, and capable of better performance on the pitch every time I go out there”

Dimitri Foulquier talked to VCF Radio after signing his two-year contract extension, and expressed his delight with continuing his career at Mestalla. The versatile fullback phoned in from his native Guadalupe to give his thoughts on the new deal.

Feeling good

I’m very well, and happy for two reasons: Firstly for my contract renewal and secondly because I'm in Guadalupe. I’m enjoying the summer break and this good news. I'm very happy and eager to return to continue representing the club.

The contract renewal

I always wanted to stay at Valencia CF. I'm very happy and very excited for next year. I'm very happy in Valencia, with my day-to-day life with my teammates, the coaching staff, the fans, the stadium... I always say it: I've been here for four years, but playing at Mestalla is wonderful, and I'm very happy to continue playing in this stadium.

The city and the club

Overall, in terms of life on and off the pitch, this is where I’ve felt the most comfortable. I don't know how to explain it, but that feeling of being so strong at Mestalla is a unique sensation, and every footballer should experience it; it's great.

The experience he brings to the team

I arrived here aged 28, which is when they say a player is at their most complete, due to their fitness and experience. At Valencia CF, I've always been improving -and I want to keep improving. The day you stop improving, you get worse. My mentality is to keep improving and learning things. It's great when you see the fruits of your work on the pitch. I feel more comfortable, stronger, and capable of better performance on the pitch every time I go out there. What I want -and what I always strive for- is to work hard to improve my performance.

Four years at Valencia CF

I've been here for four years. It's true that we've experienced some difficult times, but also a Copa del Rey final. Valencia CF have such a big fanbase, there are so many people who get behind this team, that all the feelings and everything we experience seem to be multiplied tenfold. I'm very happy; I feel like a Valencian, I'm very comfortable at the club and in the city, and I'll continue working to make these fans happy and satisfied.

Carlos Corberán's impact

As a footballer, you always have to try to improve, and as a team, it's also important to always try to improve -because the other teams improve as well. The coach has been very important; he's instilled a lot of confidence in us. That's very important for a player. There are no bad players in the Primera División; things often depend on the context and the trust shown in you. He's instilled confidence in us, we believed in his plan, and that connection between the coaching staff and the players has brought about that change, but what happened before no longer means anything. Now we have to think about next season, about improving and starting strong. The coach has been very important because of the confidence he’s given us, which is essential for a footballer. That's the number one thing. And he arrived with a clear plan that he was able to communicate to us very well, and we were able to understand it and put it into practice. Thanks to our hard work, determination, and sticking together, we've been able to turn things around.

Playing a lot in 2024/24

I felt important, and the coach conveyed that to me by playing me in so many games. In the end, I think we have a young squad, and it's important for the more experienced players to transmit that confidence, because we've been through a lot of situations. Transmitting that confidence to the younger players makes them better. Aside from how you play, which is very important -and I work to achieve high levels of performance-, I think what you transmit to the younger players is also important, because as a result, the players will feel more comfortable and grow more. Players like Mosquera, Javi, Fran, Jesús, César… They have incredible potential and will continue to improve with hard work and the help of more experienced players like myself, like Gayà, Luis Rioja and others.