Diakhaby surprises the VCF Academy Seattle

Around 40 young players from the VCF Academy in Seattle took part in a Training Experience this April at the Ciutat Esportiva de Valencia CF, where they were treated to an unforgettable surprise after a full week of training sessions and matches.

The emotional highlight came when the group got to meet the first team players and coaching staff, who warmly greeted them and posed for photos. But the real surprise came when Mouctar Diakhaby, one of the club captains, appeared with a special shirt announcing the extension of the VCF Academy Seattle partnership through 2028.

After presenting the commemorative jersey, Diakhaby spoke to the young players, thanking them for their commitment to Valencia CF and encouraging them to enjoy football, work hard every day, and keep progressing in their development.

Joe Campos received the renewal shirt from Diakhaby, a gesture that inspires them to keep working hard in Seattle and organizing trips like this Training Experience at Valencia CF’s Ciutat Esportiva.

The VCF Academy is ranked the fourth-best in Europe in terms of producing elite-level players, according to the CIES Football Observatory (+ INFO).

Valencia CF has maintained a strong international presence in Seattle for over a decade, starting as a technical partner of Eagleclaw Football Club, and eventually establishing the VCF Academy Seattle in 2022. The academy now trains over 120 boys and girls, ranging in age from 10 to 18 years old, under the club s official methodology and values.