Six VCF Academy products in the starting lineup

The Valencia CF starting lineup for last Sunday's game against Getafe had a homegrown flavour, with over half of the players veterans of the VCF Academy teams.

Six of the eleven players who took to the pitch at Mestalla for the LaLiga encounter had featured in youth teams at the club, before progressing to the first team: Jaume Domènech, Hugo Guillamón, José Luis Gayà, Yunus Musah, Carlos Soler and Kang In. In addition, VCF Academy product Toni Lato was brought on in the second half.

José Luis Gayà and Jaume Domènech perfectly represent the club's values. The left-back represented Valencia CF for the first time when he was 11 years old, and today he is a captain of the senior team. Domènech joined in 2013 to strengthen the second team, and his work and effort allowed him to establish himself as first choice goalkeeper and an influential figure in the dressing room.

Carlos Soler was just 7 years old when he came into the youth setup, and an incredible rise through the ranks has turned him into one of the cornerstones of the team. He has been followed by Toni Lato, who scored his first LaLiga goal for the club against Elche CF two matchdays ago.

Although hailing from South Korea, Kang In Lee moved to Spain to join Valencia CF when he was 11 years old, whilst Hugo Guillamón was identified as a talent at the age of just 6 years old.

Most recent player to come through is Yunus Musah. After a brief spell at VCF Mestalla, in the summer he earned the trust of coach Javi Gracia and established himself in the first team. Last Sunday, he became the club's second youngest ever goalscorer.