Max Aarons and Miguel Ángel Angulo host 1st11 Academy London during their training experience in Valencia

Football of the present, future, and past came together at the Ciutat Esportiva of Valencia CF during the enriching Training Experience enjoyed by 25 players from the 1st11 Football Academy London Powered by Valencia CF. This academy is part of the network of technical partners of the VCF Academy Programs, and their visit to Valencia offered a unique opportunity to get closer to elite professional football.

The young British talents, who dream of reaching professional football one day, enjoyed a full week of training sessions and matches, applying the Club’s methodology and sharing special moments with two icons of Valencia CF: first-team player Max Aarons and former player and current VCF Mestalla coach Miguel Ángel Angulo.

One of the most emotional moments came when one of the young players —a fellow countryman of Aarons— congratulated him on his recent start in the win against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu: “Great performance at the Bernabéu”, he said admiringly. Aarons, friendly and smiling, took photos with all the players and shared advice about his journey to the top level.

Angulo, for his part, passed on his experience and knowledge, explaining the commitment, work ethic, and mentality needed to reach the highest level. This activity strengthens the bond between Valencia CF and high-performance academies like 1st11, promoting the development of young prospects through values, training, and real-life experiences within the structure of a historic club.

Angulo also surprised Andrew Kuprewicz, director of the 1st11 Academy, by giving him a personalized Valencia CF shirt with his name on it. Andrew, a huge fan of the Asturian forward, had followed Angulo's career since the UEFA Champions League finals and LaLiga titles in the early 2000s.

He was thrilled to receive the signed jersey from one of his greatest football idols, whom he had already had the chance to meet during the Valencia CF Academy Coaches Convention and at several matches played by VCF Mestalla in the Premier League International Cup.

The 1st11 Academy London Powered by Valencia CF is one of the technical partners that make up the VCF Academy Programs, alongside the VCF Academies, VCF Camps, the VCF Academy Coaches Convention, the VCF Academy World Cup, and the VCF Training Experience.

These initiatives help to promote the Valencia CF brand and extend the Valencia CF Academy methodology, which is ranked as the fourth-best in Europe for developing players to compete at the elite level, according to the CIES Football Observatory (+ INFO). 

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