our history

Football arrived in the city of Valencia brought by those involved in citrus exportation who had been to Great Britain, the cradle of football. Similarly, it was quite common to see British sailors playing with a ball in the Valencian ports. By 1908, Valencia had teams such as Levante, Gimnástico, Hispania, and Hispano, but it was with the celebration of the regional exhibition in 1909 that this sport achieved great success in the city.

A decade later, on March 1, 1919, as recorded in the constitution act, a group of football enthusiasts gathered in the heart of the Turia capital, consisting of Augusto Milego, Gonzalo Medina, Andres Bonilla, Pascual Gascó, Fernando Marzal, and Julio Gascó. They decided to create a team that would bear the city's name: Valencia Football Club. This group of fans who founded our Club was initially led by Gonzalo Medina, who, as acting president, handled all the procedures to start functioning as a sports society, submitting the necessary documentation to the Registry of Societies on March 18, 1919. This date went down in history as the official founding day of Valencia CF. The first headquarters of this new society was the Bar Torino, located in Bajada de San Francisco, now the Town Hall Square.

On April 4, the first Board was officially established, and fate decided that Octavio Augusto Milego Díaz would become the first president of Valencia Football Club: a coin toss determined between him and Gonzalo Medina, who eventually took charge of the constituent and celebration committee. Accompanying him on the board were Fernando Marzal, who was chosen as Secretary, and Andres Bonilla as Treasurer. That same month, it was decided to include José Llorca as a founding member, who, being a minor, needed authorization to be part of this group of football enthusiasts, thus forming the group of founders of our Club.

Once the club was established, Valencia played its first match away from home. It was held in Castellón on May 21, 1919, against the Valencian Gimnástico. The result was a 1-0 victory for the latter. The first-ever Valencian lineup featured Marco, Peris, Julio Gascó, Marzal, Llobet, Ferré, Fernández, Umbert, Martínez Ibarra, Aliaga, and Gómez Juaneda.

Valencia's first home ground was the now-defunct Camp d’Algirós, inaugurated on December 7, 1919. Algirós was the venue for the Valencianista matches until 1923, when they began playing at the Mestalla. On the day of the inauguration of the first Valencianista stadium, the guest was Castalia from Castellón, and the match ended in a goalless draw. The next day, both teams faced each other again, and Valencia won 1-0. Gradually, the public began to be drawn to Algirós to watch the football spectacle, and it became too small.

The importance of the Valencianista team was confirmed by the presence of high-quality players like Montes or Cubells, who outgrew regional football. The fans were divided between the supporters of each player: on one side were the Cubellistas, and on the other, the Montistas. This rivalry was good for the team, as both players had a common goal: to defend the colors of Valencia Club de Fútbol. Arturo Montesinos, known as Montes, due to his physical characteristics (he was 1.90 m tall), was a more aggressive player than Cubells.

Eduardo Cubells, much more technical than the former, was the first international player provided by Valencia CF and the second from the Valencian Community, after Agustín Sancho, a player from Cabanes who played for F.C. Barcelona.

On February 25, 1923, Valencia became the regional champion and was able to participate, for the first time in its history, in the Copa de España, an event that created great excitement in the capital of Turia. The opponent in the cup was Sporting de Gijón. The first leg was played at Algirós, which recorded a historic sellout. The result was 1-0 for the locals, with a goal scored by Montes. A month later, the second leg resulted in a heavy 6-1 defeat for Valencia in Gijón. However, since the competition was based on points, a third match was played in Oviedo, where Sporting won again, 2-0. Despite the defeat, Valencia took advantage of the opportunity to face an important team at the national level, which increased the number of supporters of the "che" team. This growing interest in Valencia prompted the club's leaders to seek land for sale to build a new stadium for the team.

They found one located next to the Mestalla irrigation canal.

Ramón Leonarte was the president of Valencia who signed the deed for the purchase of the Mestalla land in January 1923, costing 316,439 pesetas, a considerable amount for the time that was covered by loans. The stadium's capacity would be 17,000 spectators, and the project was entrusted to two men associated with the Valencian entity: the architect was Francisco Almenar, a future president, and the builder was Ramón Ferré, who was also a club member. The inauguration of the new stadium took place on May 20, 1923, and the guest was Levante U.D.

The final score was 1-0 for Valencia, and the first player to have the honor of scoring at Mestalla was Montes. A week later, a Scottish team, Dundee United, visited Mestalla. They played two consecutive days and won 0-3 and 0-1, respectively.

It can be said that until 1923, the figure of the coach did not exist. It was before the start of the 1923-24 season when the club hired a Czechoslovakian trainer, Anton Fivber, who was responsible for giving national prestige to the Mestalla club. The coach's work was good, as he especially promoted the youth academy at a time when professionalism was gradually becoming prevalent in this sport.

In Spain, the creation of a national league that integrated the country's best teams was being promoted. Valencia aimed to participate in this competition, but being a young entity without an extensive track record, it was necessary to wait three years to join the First Division. At the end of the 1920s, Luis Colina arrived at the Valencian club, serving as technical secretary from 1928 until 1956, whose work was fundamental in laying the groundwork for the team's success. Besides creating a school, Colina was known for his keen eye in recruiting players.

The League was divided into a First and a Second Division. The six Spanish Cup champions secured their participation in the First Division: Athletic de Bilbao, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Real Sociedad, Real Unión de Irún, and Arenas de Getxo, joined by the three runners-up of that tournament: Atlético de Madrid, Español, and Europa. There were nine teams, and one more was needed to complete a league of ten teams, which had to come from a tournament involving Valencia, Betis, Sevilla, and Racing de Santander. The Cantabrians earned the right to participate in the First Division, while Valencia had to play in the second tier.

Valencia's first league championship - the 1928-29 season - also had ten teams, which were ranked as follows: Sevilla, Iberia de Zaragoza, Deportivo Alavés, Sporting de Gijón, Valencia, Real Betis, Real Oviedo, Deportivo de La Coruña, Celta de Vigo, and Racing de Madrid.

Valencia's historic league debut occurred on February 17, 1929, at Mestalla, against Oviedo, with a 4-2 victory for Valencia. That day, Pedret, Torregaray, Moliné, Salvador, Molina, Amorós, Pérez, Imossi, Navarro, Silvino, and Sánchez played. Imossi and Navarro scored one goal each, while Silvino netted two.

In their third season in the Second Division, Valencia achieved the much-desired promotion to the First Division in the 1930-31 season, where the team led by Fivber demonstrated their immense superiority. The players who composed the promotion squad were Cano, Villarroya, Conde I, Melenchón, Torregaray, Pasarín, Torres, Amorós, Arilla, Conde II, Imossi, Molina, Salvador, Costa, Navarro, Octavio, Perona, Picolín, Ricart, Rino, Sánchez, Torredeflot, and Vilanova. This promotion closed the first great stage of the club's life and opened another of splendor and titles. After five seasons of adapting to the category, and the interruption caused by the Civil War, the best decade in the team's history would arrive.

During the three years of the Spanish Civil War, the Valencian entity did not cease its social and sporting activity, as evidenced by some of the passes stamped during that time. Many of the printing presses were not operational, but with the passes already printed, they were stamped with the corresponding year and continued to be used. Thanks to this activity, the Club became one of the key elements in maintaining normalcy during the harsh years the country was experiencing. This was due to the figure of Josep Rodríguez Tortajada, deputy mayor of the city of Valencia, who served as the Club's president during the Civil War, after being elected by a management committee composed of members, players, and employees to maintain the Club's independence after the Civil War broke out. This committee also included the player Carlos Iturraspe, who served as a member, and the former player Eduardo Cubells, along with other leaders Andrés Balsa and Luis Colina, forming the sports committee.

After the Civil War, Valencia had to adapt to the new reality. Many players who were part of the team in 1936 were no longer with the club three years later. The military, as in other areas of life, also entered football. In the case of Valencia, in June 1939, Commander Alfredo Giménez Buesa was appointed president, with Luis Casanova as vice president. One of the new regime's goals was to eliminate professionalism, which they considered a remnant of the Republic. Another cornerstone of Valencianismo that suffered the consequences of the civil conflict was Mestalla, destroyed by continuous bombings. A renovation and expansion of the stadium were undertaken, increasing its capacity to 22,000 spectators.

With the transfer of Commander Giménez, the club's presidency fell to Luis Casanova. With him came the club's best era. In ten seasons, Valencia won three league titles and two cups, then called the Generalissimo's Cup. This splendor was possible because the core of the pre-war squad was maintained, thanks to the extraordinary "electric forward" consisting of Epi, Amadeo, Mundo, Asensi, and Gorostiza, the personality of president Luis Casanova, the coaching of figures like Cubells, Moncho Encinas, Pasarín, and Jacinto Quincoces, the recovery of Mestalla stadium, and the foundation of the reserve team: Club Deportivo Mestalla.

This squad would win the club's first major national title: the 1941 Cup, against RCD Español. It was the first triumph after two decades of existence, and the celebration in the capital of Turia was euphoric.

A Cup, a third-place finish in the League, several internationals in the team, and a great vision for the club's future allowed Valencia to establish itself among the 'greats' of Spanish football.

The icing on the cake came in the 1941-42 season, when the Mestalla club won the league championship for the first time in its history. Paradoxically, at that time, the Cup had a much greater impact than the League. However, it would be unfair to forget that Valencia had a magnificent season in the regular tournament. They achieved a record number of goals (85 in 26 games) and made Mestalla a fortress, where only Atlético Aviación managed to win. Additionally, their center-forward, Edmundo Suárez, Mundo, was the top scorer of the championship with 27 goals.

After a one-season hiatus (42-43), Valencia regained the league title in the 43-44 season. On this occasion, Valencia remained at the top of the standings from the start of the tournament, with 40 points and 73 goals. This time, only Barça won at Mestalla (3-4) in the second league match. Mundo was once again the top scorer, with 29 goals. Valencia's superiority reduced the league's excitement but delighted their fans, who saw their team win the third title in four seasons. However, the 1940s also brought some disappointments for Valencian interests.

After these unparalleled successful seasons, Valencia entered a phase of misfortune. They lost three consecutive finals in 1944, 1945, and 1946. In fact, they are the only Spanish team to lose so many finals, and unfortunately, history repeated itself in 1970, 1971, and 1972. Curiously, the three lost finals in the 1940s all took place at the Olympic Stadium of Montjuïc. The Barcelona stadium was considered jinxed by Valencian fans of the time. In the first final, Valencia lost 2-0 to Atlético de Bilbao, 3-2 to the same club in 1945, and 3-1 to Real Madrid in 1946.

Valencia's third league title came in the 46-47 season, the same season the legendary player Antonio Puchades arrived. On this occasion, Valencia had to fight until the end to secure the victory. The final matchday arrived with nothing decided, and it seemed that Atlético de Bilbao would be the champion, although Atlético de Madrid (known until then as Atlético de Aviación) and Valencia also had some chances. In the last match, the team coached by Pasarín won 6-0 against Gijón. The rest of the rivals stumbled. Bilbao drew 3-3 in La Coruña, and Atlético de Madrid lost at home to their eternal rival, Real Madrid, 2-3. Valencia became champions due to their goal difference with the Basque team, whom they had beaten both at San Mamés and Mestalla.

The end of the 1940s reflected the generational change the team was undergoing, with new players like Puchades and Vicente Seguí beginning to stand out.

Valencia's next opportunity, after the recent experiences as Cup runners-up, came in the 1949 Cup final, giving new hope for the title. This time they faced Atlético de Bilbao. The Valencians played in the capital of Spain, at the Chamartín stadium, in a very tight final decided by a goal from Epi 19 minutes before the end. This victory marked the end of a generation of players who had been very successful for Valencia Club de Fútbol.

Although the successes of the previous decade could not be repeated, the football developed by the Mestalla club shone again in the 1950s, especially in the first half of the decade. The quality of the players was high, but several factors contributed to lower performance.

In this decade, foreign players arrived in Spanish football, which increased the power of some clubs, such as Di Stéfano's Real Madrid and Kubala's Barcelona. However, the most outstanding Valencia player of the fifties was local: Antonio Puchades. The player from Sueca quickly became the team's standard-bearer and, until his retirement, a key figure for both the Club and the Spanish National Team, being chosen for the ideal eleven of the 1950 World Cup in Brazil.

With the successes of the decade, the club undertook renovation and expansion works at the stadium: the creation of the Gran Mestalla. The club's challenge was to create a venue to host matches that matched the team's importance, the city's significance, and the large number of Valencia fans. The goal was achieved, but the enormous financial effort negatively impacted the squad, which sometimes could not be adequately reinforced.

The renovation, which allowed Mestalla to accommodate 45,000 spectators, involved an investment of nearly one hundred million pesetas, a very high figure for those times. However, the home of the Valencianistas became one of the best stadiums in Spain, eventually hosting the national team in the 1982 World Cup held in Spain and the Barcelona '92 Olympic Games.

Another prominent name in 1950s Valencia is Jacinto Quincoces. Under his direction, a new Valencia team was consolidated, featuring younger players from the previous decade such as Monzó, Pasieguito, Puchades, or Seguí, and new signings like Wilkes, Santacatalina, Buqué, Sendra, Mañó, Mangriñán, Quincoces II, Pla, Sócrates, Gago, Badenes, Quique, Fuertes, and Taltavull, among others. Quincoces continued as coach from 1948 to 1954. The 1950-51 season was the first with 16 teams participating. Valencia's campaign was very irregular. The big teams and the better-ranked teams fell at Mestalla, but Deportivo and Celta won, and they could only draw against teams like Santander or Real Sociedad. Valencia finished third, and in the Generalissimo's Cup, they were eliminated in the first round by Real Madrid.

Quincoces' tenure as coach continued from 1948 to 1954. The 1950-51 season was the first with 16 teams participating. Valencia's campaign was very irregular. The big teams and the better-ranked teams fell at Mestalla, but Deportivo and Celta won, and they could only draw against teams like Santander or Real Sociedad. Valencia finished third, and in the Generalissimo's Cup, they were eliminated in the first round by Real Madrid.

Valencia reached two Cup finals, both against Barcelona. The first was in 1952. That year, the league was not bad, as the team finished fifth, which would be Quincoces' worst campaign as Valencia coach. In the Cup, after overcoming Sevilla and Zaragoza, they reached the semifinals, where they faced Real Madrid, whom they also defeated. The final obstacle to winning the title was FC Barcelona, whom they faced at Chamartín on May 25, 1952. Badenes put Valencia ahead twice, setting the final for the Valencian side. But the real setback was yet to come: before the break, the Blaugrana team managed to close the gap. In the second half, everything went wrong for Quincoces' team, and Barcelona completed the comeback, winning 4-2. Once again, Valencia were runners-up.

In the 1951-52 season, the surprise came from the reserve team, CD Mestalla, which played in the Second Division. The coach, Carlos Iturraspe, asked player Juan Ramón to join the reserve team. CD Mestalla finished second and played in the promotion playoffs, where they overcame Gijón, Santander, Alcoyano, Logroñés, and Ferrol, although the club declined the reserve team's promotion. This decision generated strong controversy in Valencia, as some fans believed the team should have been promoted, although Valencia made it clear that the Mestalla team's function, founded in 1944, was to train players for the first team.

The 1952-53 season was good for Valencia. They were proclaimed runners-up, playing very well with a renewed squad including players from the reserve team, such as Sendra, Mañó, Mangriñán, and Sócrates. Barcelona were the champions, and Valencia squandered their title aspirations in the last month of competition. Additionally, Barcelona eliminated Valencia in the Cup. The following league season, 1953-54, went relatively unnoticed, although Quincoces' team finished in third place, behind Madrid and Barça. The highlight of that year was winning the Generalissimo's Cup. The rival was again Barcelona, but this time the Catalan team was soundly defeated 3-0, giving the Mestalla club a well-deserved revenge for the 1952 final. On June 20, 1954, Quincoces lined up Quique, Monzó, Puchades, Badenes, Pasieguito, Seguí, Sócrates, Juan Carlos Quincoces II (the coach's nephew), Mañó, Fuertes, and Buqué. The goals were scored by Fuertes, twice, and Badenes.

With this Cup title, Valencia closed the chapter of sporting successes under the presidency of Luis Casanova.

After the Cup, there was a transitional period that did not please the fans. Until the end of this decade, although there were still quality players, the Mestalla club was never in a position to win the League again or reach another Cup final. Besides Puchades, other great players passed through Valencia's ranks in the second half of the decade. One of the most talented was Servaas Wilkes, a Dutch player from Italy who was a true magician with the ball at his feet and captivated the fans in his three seasons with Valencia. Quincoces II also stood out, wearing the white shirt for eleven seasons and proving to be an effective and very consistent defender, playing all official matches from the 1954-55 season to the 1958-59 season (120 consecutive League matches, plus Cup matches).

In January 1956, Manolo Mestre, a player born in Oliva, debuted with Valencia and became the Valencian player with the most League matches for the club until Ricardo Arias surpassed him in the nineties.

A significant event that shocked the city of Valencia and the team was the 1957 flood, which inundated Avenida de Suecia and the Stadium. Following this disaster, years of austerity and mediocre sporting results ensued.

In July 1956, Valencia's general secretary, Mr. Luis Colina, passed away after a serious illness. The news shocked society as he was a very important figure for the club and Valencian football. He was succeeded by Vicente Iborra. With him, but especially with his successor Julio de Miguel, Valencia entered the 1960s, characterized by European successes.

On July 2, 1961, with the city of Valencia still in shock over the death of the Brazilian player Walter in a traffic accident on the El Saler road, Julio de Miguel Martínez de Bujanda became the club's president. This marked the beginning of another ten good years for Valencia's history. At the same time, a new need emerged in Spanish football: to compete in continental tournaments and demonstrate prowess against other European teams.

One of the new president's early successes was securing Valencia's acceptance into the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (61-62), a competition at that time participated in by invitation, not by league standing. De Miguel also managed to sign a great player: the Brazilian Waldo Machado, who would give many great football performances at Mestalla and become one of the top scorers in Valencia's history. His free kicks, incredible shots, and joyful football left a mark in both Spain and Europe over ten years. Waldo's ideal partner was Vicente Guillot, who had a parallel career with the Brazilian, understanding each other perfectly.

Valencia's European successes were generally accompanied by modest league performances. This happened in the 61-62 season, where Valencia secured home victories but failed to earn any points away. They finished twelve points behind Real Madrid, in seventh place. In the Fairs Cup, the first opponent to overcome was Nottingham Forest, one of the great English football teams.

The first leg at City Ground in Nottingham ended with a spectacular 1-5 in favor of Valencia. After passing the round against the English team, the next to fall was Lausanne. Valencia was already in the quarterfinals, and their opponent was the very strong Inter Milan, whom they defeated 2-0 at Mestalla and drew 3-3 in Milan. Valencia overwhelmed MTK Budapest in the semifinals, beating them 3-0 in Valencia and 3-7 in Budapest, in one of the greatest European thrashings by the Valencian team.

In the final, a familiar foe awaited: FC Barcelona. The victory was historic.

The 6-2 scoreline against Barça in a European final thrilled the thousands of Valencia fans who filled Mestalla on September 12, 1962.

The final was effectively decided, and in the second leg at Camp Nou, the result was a 1-1 draw. Participating in both final matches were Zamora, Piquer, Quincoces, Mestre, Sastre, Chicao, Héctor Núñez, Guillot, Waldo, Ribelles, and Yosu.

The Fairs Cup champion would defend their title the following season. The first hurdles were three Scottish teams: Celtic Glasgow, Dunfermline, and Hibernians of Edinburgh. In the semifinals, they faced Roma. A 3-0 win at Mestalla and a narrow 1-0 defeat at the Roman Olympic Stadium gave Valencia a new final berth. The final opponent was Dynamo Zagreb.

The Fairs Cup champion would defend their title the following season. The final opponent was Dynamo Zagreb.

The first leg was played in the then-Yugoslavian city, and after the local team went ahead, Valencia came back thanks to goals from Waldo and José Antonio Urtiaga. The second leg took place on June 26, 1963, at Mestalla, where 50,000 spectators witnessed Valencia's superiority, winning 2-0 with goals from Mañó and Héctor Núñez.

The following season, Valencia reached the Fairs Cup final again, this time after overcoming Shamrock Rovers of Ireland, Rapid Vienna, Ujpest Dosza of Hungary, and in the semifinals, German side Cologne. After narrowly defeating the Germans, they faced another Spanish team in the final: Zaragoza's team of the five magnificents.

This time, Zaragoza took the trophy, winning 2-1.

Unlike the previous final, this time the triumph went to Zaragoza, who won the Cup 2-1. The two goals for Zaragoza were scored by Villa and Marcelino, while Urtiaga scored the only goal for Valencia.

The team received a tough blow in the final against Zaragoza. That defeat led to three years of uncertainty until July 1967, when they won a new title, the Generalissimo's Cup.

In July 1967, they won the Generalissimo's Cup.

Valencia continued to renew itself. The time came for players like Juan Cruz Sol and Pepe Claramunt. The inclusion of these two men was key for the Mestalla club to regain an important place in Spanish football.

With them, and players like Waldo and the Asturian goalkeeper Abelardo, Valencia reached the 1967 Cup final. The journey was long and difficult, although the first rounds against Cádiz and Betis were comfortably navigated. In the quarterfinals, Valencia had to dispose of Real Madrid and, in the semifinals, Elche, another historic club from the Valencian Community.

Valencia was back in a Cup final, facing an old rival: Athletic Bilbao. Roberto Gil lifted Valencia's fourth Cup in their history, defeating the Basque team 2-1 in Madrid, with goals from Paraguayan Anastasio Jara and Paquito. This new Generalissimo's Cup was a gift for the thousands of Valencia fans.

The fourth Cup in Valencia's history, defeating the Basque team 2-1 in Madrid.

The following season marked Valencia's debut in the Cup Winners' Cup, where they overcame two rounds against Northern Ireland's Crusaders and Romania's Steaua Bucharest, but were eliminated by Bayern Munich, already boasting legends like Sepp Maier and Franz Beckenbauer. After that 1967 Cup, Valencia had three modest years until the early 1970s, when titles returned.

Alfredo Di Stéfano arrived at Valencia in April 1970, during a difficult period for the Mestalla club, replacing the tandem of Enrique Buqué and Salvador Artigas. That season, Valencia lost another Copa del Rey final in Barcelona, this time to Real Madrid (3-1). Montjuïc proved to be an unlucky stadium for Valencia, as they had everything in their favor for that final: Madrid arrived with one of their worst league standings in history, and Grosso and Amancio were injured in the first half, yet Madrid triumphed in the end.

Di Stéfano's first season in charge is one of the most intense, memorable, and exciting in Valencia's history and marked the winning of a new league title. He built a new, solid, and strong team in defense with players like Sol, Aníbal, Jesús Martínez, and Antón, anchored by a reliable goalkeeper: Abelardo. The midfield was intelligent and precise, centered around Pepe Claramunt, while the agile, quick, and ideal counter-attacking forward line featured Forment, Valdez, Sergio, and Pellicer.

The 1970-71 season was the last with 16 teams, and after the first few matches, Valencia was a serious candidate for relegation. Gradually, results improved, and Valencia solidified their position in mid-table. The standout match of that season was at the Nou Camp, where Valencia defeated Barcelona 0-2, with goals from Claramunt and Valdez, and Abelardo saved a penalty. This win bolstered Valencia's credentials for the title.

The most memorable moment of that season was the last league match, played at Sarriá. Valencia arrived as the leader with 43 points, while Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, who faced each other, had 42 and 41 points, respectively. Di Stéfano's team needed just one point, which they didn't get, as they lost to Espanyol 1-0, but the draw between Barcelona and Atlético meant the title went to Valencia. Many analysts agree that Valencia won their fourth league thanks to their defensive solidity and Abelardo conceding only 19 goals.

Winning the league, Valencia aimed to repeat the double achieved in 1944. They reached the Copa del Rey final after defeating Mallorca, Betis, Málaga, and, in the semifinals, Sevilla. They arrived at the final unbeaten, with eighteen goals scored in eight matches, as league champions, and in high spirits. The final, held at Santiago Bernabéu, saw them face a vengeful Barcelona. The Catalan team won in a thrilling final, defeating Valencia 4-3. Valencia couldn't crown one of their best seasons with a double.

Winning the league title gave Valencia the chance to debut in the European Cup, the continent's top competition. Valencia's journey in this competition was brief; they defeated Luxembourg and Hajduk Split but were eliminated by Ujpest Dosza in the third round.

Despite having a potentially better team than the one that won the league, in the 1971-72 season, Valencia could only secure the runner-up position. As reigning champions, they were highly targeted by other teams. The additions of Quino, Adorno, and Lico boosted the team's potential, but it wasn't enough to repeat the previous season's success, and Real Madrid became the champions.

Once again, Valencia lost a Copa del Rey final, this time to Atlético Madrid 2-1. Salcedo scored first, Valdez equalized, and José Eulogio Gárate scored the winning goal for Madrid. This defeat was another blow for the more than 20,000 Valencia fans who watched the match.

In 1973, President Julio de Miguel departed a year after the death of manager Vicente Peris, his right-hand man. Following the president's departure, Valencia had an unremarkable league run. In the first edition of the UEFA Cup, replacing the Fairs Cup, Valencia debuted against Manchester City but was eliminated in the next round by Red Star Belgrade.

Francisco Ros Casares succeeded Julio de Miguel, amid significant opposition. His most notable achievement was acquiring the land for Paterna, the future site of Valencia's Sports City.

Spanish football opened its borders, allowing each team to have two foreign players, resolving the issue of oriundos. One of the first to arrive at Mestalla was Salif Keita, a forward from Mali who had excelled in French football. The other foreign signing was Austrian Kurt Jara. The season was poor, and Valencia didn't participate in European competition, a first since their debut in 1961.

Despite these challenges, Valencia continued to have great players, such as Johnny Rep, an excellent Dutch right-winger from one of Europe's best teams at the time: Ajax Amsterdam.

Following Ros Casares' era, José Ramos Costa became president in January 1976. Under his presidency, Mestalla saw a sports trajectory marked by Copa del Rey titles in 1979 and the Cup Winners' Cup in 1980. However, from an economic perspective, Valencia began accumulating debt, largely due to renovations at Mestalla to host the 1982 World Cup.

The 76-77 season marked a completely different era for Valencia fans. The club brought in Paraguayan Heriberto Herrera as coach, and new players included Castellanos, Diarte, Carrete, Botubot, Arias, and most importantly, Mario Alberto Kempes.

Kempes has been the most important player in the history of the club, both for his international successes (he won the 1978 World Cup with Argentina) and his contributions to Valencia Club de Fútbol. Kempes was the top scorer in the Spanish League twice, in the 76-77 season (24 goals) and the 77-78 season (28 goals), the top scorer of the 1978 World Cup held in Argentina, and the key player in Valencia's victories in the 1979 Copa del Rey and the 1980 European Cup Winners' Cup.

His charisma, free-kick prowess, and goal-scoring ability led an Argentine journalist to nickname him "Matador," and every Sunday at Mestalla, fans would chant, "Don't say Kempes, say goal."

A fired coach (Heriberto Herrera), a star player like Kempes on the team, rising local talents like Enrique Saura and Ricardo Arias, and strong performances from newly signed players Castellanos, Carrete, and Botubot were the keys to Ramos Costa's first season as president.

Another significant name in Valencia's history that emerged during this period was Ricardo Arias, the player who has worn the white jersey the most times in the club's history. For sixteen seasons, the Catarroja-born footballer was a protagonist in both the brightest and darkest moments of Valencia's history.

Spanish-French coach Marcel Domingo replaced Heriberto Herrera and was tasked with returning Valencia to European competitions after a five-year absence. Domingo, who had previously coached Burgos, brought three players with him, including standout goalkeeper Manzanedo.

Seasons passed, but Valencia always had high-quality players. Other notable arrivals during these years were Daniel Solsona and Rainer Bonhof, the German international who had been a world champion in 1974. The Catalan player Solsona was one of the most technically skilled players to have ever played for Valencia.

The 78-79 season was notable for Valencia's performance in the Copa del Rey. It wasn't an easy competition. The team, managed by Pasieguito who had replaced Domingo, had to face Barcelona. The first leg ended decisively: Barcelona 4 - Valencia 1. The tie seemed all but over, and few believed in a Valencia comeback. However, in the return leg at Mestalla, Valencia overturned the deficit and won 4-0, allowing them to progress in the cup and eventually reach the final.

After defeating Barcelona, Valencia faced Second Division teams Alavés and Valladolid, whom they easily overcame. They reached the final against Real Madrid at the Vicente Calderón. In the stands, 25,000 Valencia fans waved their senyeras, celebrating one of the greatest triumphs in the club's history. Valencia, wearing their senyera kit, lined up with Manzanedo, Carrete, Arias, Botubot, Cerveró, Bonhof, Castellanos, Solsona, Saura, Kempes, and Darío Felman, with Tendillo also featuring. Valencia won 2-0, with both goals scored by the Argentine star. Alongside Kempes, Arias was the standout player of that final.

The celebration in Valencia was total, but it would be even greater the following season in European competition. After winning the Copa del Rey, Valencia played in the European Cup Winners' Cup. Pasieguito returned to the technical staff, and the team was once again entrusted to Alfredo di Stéfano for the European campaign. The 79-80 season marked Valencia's greatest international success (apart from the 1999-2000 Champions League runners-up finish). Valencia had to overcome formidable opponents like BK Copenhagen, Glasgow Rangers, Barcelona, Nantes, and, in the final, Arsenal.

About 7,000 Valencia fans traveled to Brussels to watch the European final against Arsenal at Heysel Stadium. The team consisted of Pereira, Carrete, Arias, Tendillo, Botubot, Solsona, Bonhof, Subirats, Saura, Kempes, and Pablo. During extra time, Castellanos replaced Subirats. The match was tense and ended 0-0 after 120 minutes, leading to a penalty shootout. Valencia started the shootout with Kempes, who missed his attempt. However, Ian Brady of Arsenal also missed. Eight consecutive penalties were then scored (with Solsona, Pablo, Castellanos, and Bonhof converting for Valencia), leading to a second round. Ricardo Arias scored past Pat Jennings, and Pereira became the hero by saving Rix's shot. Euphoria erupted as Saura lifted the most important cup in Valencia's history.

The 80-81 season was the season of the Super Cup for Valencia. This competition, which pits the European Cup winner against the Cup Winners' Cup champion, had not been won by any Spanish team until that year. Some players from that era have repeatedly complained that this title didn't receive special recognition in Spain until Barcelona won it in 1992, a decade after Valencia.

The only goal of the match was scored by the Uruguayan Fernando Morena, and the double value of away goals gave Valencia their last European title to date.

Valencia's opponent was a familiar foe, Nottingham Forest, the reigning European and Super Cup champion and a team with great potential. The competition was played over two legs. The English team won the first leg at the legendary City Ground, 2-1, with Valencia's goal scored by the Argentine Felman. Everything was to be decided at the Luis Casanova. Valencia fielded Sempere, Cerveró, Botubot, Arias, Tendillo, Castellanos, Saura, Solsona, Morena, Kempes, and Felman. The only goal of the match was scored by Fernando Morena, and the double value of away goals gave Valencia their last European title to date.

In terms of the league, Valencia had a chance to win the championship that season, though they didn't achieve it. They finished fourth, three points behind the champion, Real Sociedad. One of the reasons for Valencia's modest end to the season was the departure of two of their stars, Mario Alberto Kempes and Fernando Morena, who returned to their home countries to play for River Plate and Peñarol, respectively.

From then on, the social and sporting situation of Valencia Club de Fútbol began to deteriorate. The hosting of the World Cup in Spain led to significant debt for the club, as the stadium renovation costs were borne by the club. In the 81-82 season, Valencia played a secondary role and finished in fifth place. After the departures of Kempes and Morena, a great player joined the team: Danish Frank Arnesen, who only performed well in his first year, as injuries kept him off the pitch for long periods. That year also saw the debut of a young footballer from Betxí who would leave his mark: Roberto Fernández.

The following season (82-83) began to show the looming disaster.

In the next season, 82-83, the looming disaster began to become apparent. The economic situation was dire. With Miljan Miljanic as coach, the only highlights of the season were the victory at Mestalla against Maradona's Barça, Kempes' return to the team after a brief stint at River, and eliminating Manchester United, Banik Ostrava, and Spartak Moscow in the UEFA Cup. Everything else was problems and anguish. With seven matches to go, and with Valencia in a dire position on the table, Koldo Aguirre replaced Miljanic, who was fired after a 5-2 defeat at Sarriá.

Valencia went into the final league match needing a win and favorable results from their rivals to avoid relegation to the Second Division. The match, at Mestalla, was against a Real Madrid team vying for the league title. Valencia won 1-0, with a goal from Tendillo, and other results went their way: Racing de Santander lost 3-1 to Atlético in Madrid, Celta de Vigo lost 3-1 to Valladolid, and Las Palmas lost 1-5 at home to Athletic, who won the championship with that result. Valencia had miraculously saved themselves from relegation.

The next two seasons (83-84 and 84-85) were transitional toward worse times. Ramos Costa had stepped down as president, and cardiologist Vicente Tormo took over. The club's debt had risen to over 2 billion pesetas, and membership numbers had significantly declined. In response to the club's poor situation, many youth players were promoted, including Fernando Gómez Colomer, who gave his all for Valencia.

Relegation was finalized in that fateful season: 85-86.

The situation had become untenable. Many players were unpaid, and the club was deeply in debt. The responsibility of coaching the team fell to Óscar Rubén Valdez. The signings did not pan out, as Muñoz Pérez and Sánchez Torres had disappointing spells at Valencia. Relegation was finalized in that fateful season: 85-86.

The team didn't start poorly but gradually deteriorated. On matchday 22, Valencia suffered a 6-0 defeat at Atocha, leading to Valdez's dismissal and Di Stéfano's return to the Valencia bench. With four matches remaining, Valencia was on the brink of relegation, but a win at Sánchez Pizjuán in Seville (0-2) and at home against Hércules (3-1) offered a glimmer of hope. However, the team was relegated after a 3-0 defeat at Nou Camp and a controversial draw between Cádiz and Betis. That draw ended 55 uninterrupted seasons in Spain's top flight, with four league titles, five cups, two Fairs Cups, a Cup Winners' Cup, a Super Cup, and a history filled with great international players. The relegation was the hardest moment in the history of the Mestalla club.

Players, directors, and many fans agreed that relegation to the Second Division helped Valencia recover from its troubles and return to its former glory. Fifteen years later, relegation is history, and Valencia is rubbing shoulders with the best Spanish and European teams. They even came close to glory, almost winning the Champions League, the former European Cup, in a Spanish final that Real Madrid snatched away in Paris in May 2000.

The president of Valencia following relegation was Arturo Tuzón. The fans, deeply hurt by playing in the second tier, did not abandon Valencia and demonstrated their love for the Mestalla club by increasing the number of members. Valencia won the Second Division championship, returning to the First Division just a year after relegation.

In the Second Division, the foundation was laid for the strong Valencia team of the following years, featuring players like Fernando, Quique, Giner, Voro, Revert, Arroyo, Fenoll, Bossio, and established players like Sempere, Subirats, and Arias, most of whom were Valencian and supporters of the club.

After promotion, Valencia aimed to consolidate in the following seasons. The 87-88 season, which saw Algerian Rabah Madjer play for six months on loan from Porto, was a transitional one, and the team finished in fourteenth place, marking Alfredo Di Stéfano's last season as Valencia's coach in his third stint.

For the following season, Tuzón's board chose Víctor Espárrago, who was coaching Cádiz. The Uruguayan was a serious man who instilled his personality into the team. He led Valencia to a third-place finish in the 88-89 league and a runner-up finish in 89-90.

The 89-90 season was brilliant for Valencia. The team had a magnificent league run and a decent Copa del Rey performance, as well as competing in two UEFA Cup ties, against Victoria Bucharest and Porto's Rabah Madjer, who unfairly eliminated the Valencian club. The league started disappointingly, but Espárrago's team began to react and improve their play. Bulgarian forward Luboslav Mladenov Penev, known for his goal-scoring ability, joined Valencia mid-season from CSKA Sofia. This season also marked the farewell of Javier Subirats after twelve years with Valencia.

For the next season, Tuzón's board stuck with the same core that had won the runner-up spot, reinforced by Roberto, returning after a stint with Barcelona. However, Valencia could only finish seventh this season. In the UEFA Cup, Roma eliminated the team in the quarter-finals with controversial refereeing influencing the final result. Valencia also fell in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals to Mallorca, disappointing the fans.

In the 91-92 season, Valencia made a significant financial effort to strengthen the squad. After Víctor Espárrago's departure, Dutch coach Guus Hiddink, who had won the European Cup with PSV Eindhoven, took the helm. Notable signings included the ill-fated Panamanian forward Rommel Fernández and Brazilian left-back Leonardo. Hiddink's team finished fourth in the league, while Real Madrid eliminated Valencia in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals. Once again, the season ended with a surplus, highlighting Tuzón's effective management of the club.

There was great excitement about the new Valencia's potential, and the season saw important off-field developments, such as the inauguration of the Paterna Sports City, the transformation of the club into a public limited sports company, and the hosting of the Spanish Olympic team’s matches for the Barcelona Games at Mestalla.

Ricardo Arias, the player with the most seasons and official matches for Valencia, retired that season. Valencia lost one of its most consistent and classy players, but his place was well filled by another Valencian defender: Paco Camarasa.

In 1992, a new era began for the Mestalla club as it transitioned into a public limited sports company. The next five years were marked by social unrest. Despite Arturo Tuzón's undeniable success in economic management, the defeat in Karlsruhe marked the beginning of the end of his presidency at Valencia.

The 93-94 season started well for Valencia, which quickly took the lead in the league and began the UEFA Cup by eliminating French team Nantes, featuring young talents like Loko, Makelele, Karembeu, and Pedros. That summer, Valencia signed Montenegrin Predrag Mijatovic, who became one of the best players of the decade but left the club under scandalous circumstances. As league leaders, Valencia played the second leg of the UEFA second round in Germany on November 2, 1993. Having won the first leg 3-1, it seemed likely they would advance. However, a crushing 7-0 defeat marked Valencia's most humiliating European loss. Hiddink was on shaky ground and was dismissed after losing in Gijón the following weekend.

Hiddink was replaced by Francisco Real, a member of the club's technical staff, who failed to lift the team's morale or results and was replaced by Héctor Núñez, a former Valencia forward from the 60s. Meanwhile, Arturo Tuzón's board of directors was fracturing, leading to Tuzón's resignation, temporarily replaced by Melchor Hoyos. An electoral process ensued, with Francisco Roig winning the presidency over Ramón Romero. Star player Lubo Penev was diagnosed with testicular cancer, sidelining him for a year, though he fortunately made a full recovery. A young Gaizka Mendieta, signed from Castellón, started playing his first matches, eventually becoming a Valencia star. Tragedy struck in September 1993 when Panamanian forward Rommel Fernández, on loan at Albacete, died in a car accident.

Francisco Roig was elected president on March 9, 1994. His first decision was to dismiss Héctor Núñez as coach and appoint Jesús Martínez as technical secretary. While deciding on a new coach, José Manuel Rielo, the assistant coach, became the interim head coach. Surprisingly, Roig rehired Guus Hiddink just five months after his dismissal. Valencia improved its performance and finished the league with better football and results.

Francisco Roig took advantage of the 1994 World Cup in the USA to hire Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira, who would win the tournament as coach. Notable signings included Spanish national team goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta and Russian forward Oleg Salenko, who became the World Cup top scorer but did not shine in Valencia as he had in the USA.

The 1994-95 season saw Valencia reach the Copa del Rey final but not without firing the coach. Parreira was dismissed in the semi-finals against Albacete, and Rielo took over. The Copa final against Deportivo de La Coruña on June 24, 1995, was suspended due to a heavy downpour at Santiago Bernabéu with the score at 1-1. The remaining time was played three days later, and Alfredo's goal shortly after resumption denied Valencia the title. Despite the disappointment, the fans' enthusiasm and desire for titles led to Mestalla being spontaneously filled to welcome the dejected Copa runners-up.

'Pedja' Mijatovic, the current idol, left for Real Madrid by paying his release clause, an unforgivable affront to Valencia fans.

The 1995-96 season began with a new coach, veteran Luis Aragonés, leading Valencia to a league runner-up finish with a team featuring Zubizarreta, Camarasa, Fernando, and Mijatovic. Atlético Madrid, who had signed Lubo Penev, won both the league and Copa del Rey that season. 'Pedja' Mijatovic left for Real Madrid, triggering Valencia's fans' anger.

In summer 1996, Francisco Roig fulfilled his aspiration by signing Romario. However, the brilliant but unruly Brazilian forward clashed with Aragonés and was loaned to Flamengo. His signing coincided with that of Argentine forward Claudio 'Piojo' López, another future Valencia idol. Poor league results led to Aragonés' dismissal and Jorge Valdano's hiring. The Argentine coach debuted in November 1996, completing another trophyless season and being eliminated from the Copa del Rey by Segunda División team Las Palmas and the UEFA Cup by Schalke 04, who would go on to win the competition. In December, Valencia signed another South American star, Argentine Ariel 'Burrito' Ortega.

The sports disorder led to Francisco Roig's resignation as president

Valdano started the 97-98 season but was dismissed after losing to Mallorca, Barcelona, and Racing de Santander in the first three matches. Jesús Martínez was also dismissed as technical secretary, replaced by Valencian Javier Subirats. Jorge Valdano's replacement was Italian Claudio Ranieri, who soon clashed with Romario (back from his loan) and Ortega, and had an unimpressive start. The sports disorder led to Francisco Roig's resignation. Pedro Cortés, then vice president, took over the club on December 2, 1997. Valencia was second to last in the league and struggling in the Copa against modest Figueres, whom they narrowly eliminated. Ranieri's position was precarious but he remained in charge. Valencia finished the league in ninth place, earning a spot in the Intertoto Cup, a new competition granting UEFA Cup access. The only mid-season signing was Romanian forward Adrian Ilie, who had a spectacular start at Valencia.

Claudio Ranieri began the 98-99 season by qualifying Valencia for the UEFA Cup through the Intertoto Cup, though they were eliminated by Liverpool. Valencia finished fourth in the league, earning a spot in the Champions League, which had replaced the European Cup. But the season's crowning achievement was winning the Copa del Rey: Valencia triumphed 3-0 over Atlético Madrid at the Olympic Stadium in Seville on June 26, 1999, with a stunning goal from Mendieta and two from 'Piojo' López. The fans' euphoria was indescribable, and the well-deserved celebrations are still remembered. Twenty years later, a new title adorned the club's trophy cabinet. The champions of the final were Cañizares, Angloma, Djukic, Roche, Carboni, Mendieta, Milla, Farinós, Vlaovic, Ilie, and Claudio López, with Juanfran, Angulo, and Björklund also playing.

But Ranieri did not continue managing Valencia. The Roman coach had committed to Atlético Madrid in the spring of 1999, a team he himself had denied winning the Copa del Rey. To replace him, Argentine Héctor Cúper was chosen, who had arrived at Mallorca two seasons earlier, delivering an impressive performance for the Balearic club: a Spanish Supercup, a Copa del Rey final, and a Cup Winners' Cup final. The most notable signing that summer was Argentine left winger Kily González.

However, the major success was European: in Valencia's first participation in the 'Champions League' format, the team reached the grand final, astonishing the world with their football and ambition.

The winning momentum of that Valencia allowed them to start the 1999-2000 season by winning a new title, the Spanish Supercup, against FC Barcelona. In La Liga, they finished in third place, behind the champions Deportivo La Coruña and FC Barcelona. But the great success was European: in Valencia's first participation in the 'Champions League' format, the team reached the grand final, impressing the world with their football and ambition. Unfortunately, in the final held in Paris on May 24, 2000, Real Madrid won 3-0. The ultimate glory was just out of reach, and Valencia had become the fashionable team in Europe.

The departures of Claudio López, who went to Lazio, and Farinós to Inter, and Gerard to Barcelona, marked the beginning of the current 2000-2001 season. Cúper continued as coach, and some of the most notable signings that summer were Uruguayan Diego Alonso, Norwegian John Carew, former Atlético Rubén Baraja, Argentine Ayala, and Brazilian left-back Fabio Aurelio.

The first half of the 2000-2001 season was marked by a strong performance in La Liga. The team started the championship well and maintained the lead for more than ten rounds. After the Christmas break, Valencia CF began to suffer from the intense demands of a competition as absorbing as the Champions League. After progressing through the group stages, Cúper's team eliminated Arsenal in the quarter-finals and Leeds United in the semi-finals, preparing to face Bayern Munich in the grand final. Our team was once again on the brink of glory. After Paris, this time the encounter with glory was in Milan. The decisive UEFA Champions League match took place on May 23 at San Siro. Mendieta scored a penalty at the start of the match, Cañizares saved a penalty from Mehmet Scholl, and Effenberg equalized after the break with another penalty awarded by referee Dick Jol. After extra time, the lottery of penalties decided that Valencia would once again be runners-up in Europe, a milestone marred by the desire for victory but representing the pinnacle of European history for our club. The blow of Milan was hard to overcome for our team, which in the final league matches fell to fifth place in the table, missing out on the 2001-2002 Champions League edition.

In July, President Pedro Cortés resigned for personal reasons and left with the satisfaction of having achieved a Copa del Rey, a Supercup, and two Champions League runners-up finishes. His successor as president was Jaime Ortí, who expressed his intention to maintain the good trajectory that had made the club admired throughout Europe. There were also changes on the bench and in the squad. Rafa Benítez, after his success with Tenerife, replaced Héctor Cúper as coach. Among the players, Mendieta, Deschamps, Milla, Zahovic, and Gerardo departed, while Marchena, Mista, Curro Torres, Rufete, De los Santos, and Salva arrived. All these players form the core of a new Valencia with high aspirations in La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the UEFA Cup for the 2001-2002 season.

In the 2001/02 and 2003/04 seasons, Valencia CF experienced some of the most glorious moments in the history of the club, coinciding with the 85th anniversary of its founding in 2004.

During this magical period, the team achieved no less than five top-level titles and two UEFA Champions League finals.

With two La Liga titles, one UEFA Cup, and one European Super Cup, this magical era brought a total of five major titles and two UEFA Champions League finals.

Despite the emergence of huge budgets and megabucks signings, Valencia CF was by far the best team in Spain at the start of the 21st century and one of the best in the world. Great sports planning, the stability of a solid core, and the team's resilience and patience at key moments made the club, led by President Jaime Ortí, one of the benchmarks in the sport today.

It all began in the 2001/02 season, which brought the conquest of La Liga after 31 years. The team saw new additions including coach Rafa Benítez from Tenerife, and players Marchena, Mista, Curro Torres, Rufete, De los Santos, and Salva. With an exciting preseason, the start of La Liga saw Valencia CF as one of the title contenders. The first match was a real test of the team's quality.

That opening league match delivered a significant and decisive victory over Real Madrid. It was followed by a record unbeaten streak of 11 consecutive matches, breaking the previous record set in the 1970/71 season, when the last La Liga title was won.

However, winning the league was not an easy path. After a defeat in Coruña against Deportivo on December 9, 2003, the team had to win against Espanyol at Montjuïc to stay in contention. Trailing 2-0 at halftime, a spectacular start to the second half turned the score around to a final 2-3, a result that would greatly boost the team's morale for the future.

Thus, the second half of the season was truly historic. Benítez’s team went through a small crisis after losing 1-0 at Santiago Bernabéu but bounced back to achieve four wins and two draws in the next six matches. Victories over Las Palmas, Athletic Bilbao, Alavés, Real Zaragoza, and especially the superb win against FC Barcelona gave the team enough confidence to tackle the final 10 league matches with assurance.

In one of these crucial matches, Espanyol would come up again. With an unfavorable score of 0-1 and the expulsion of Carboni before halftime, the team rose to the challenge and two goals by Baraja saw Valencia CF move from a hopeful step to touching glory. Additionally, Real Madrid's defeat at Anoeta left the league title just three points away.

The final stage was La Rosaleda. On May 5, 2002, a date that has gone down in Valencia's history, the team retreated to Benalmádena, near the match venue, to escape the overwhelming euphoria around them. And the confidence and security of a team destined for greatness were evident.

Valencia was La Liga champion after 31 years!

There wasn't much to suffer through. A quick goal by Ayala and another, with unnecessary suspense, by Fabio Aurelio just before halftime sealed the fifth La Liga title. Valencia was La Liga champion after 31 years! The Málaga stadium was a torrent of emotions. Fans embraced their idols in an eternal hug, firecrackers echoed throughout Andalusia, black-and-white and Valencia flags kissed the Andalusian sky. An idyllic scene that was repeated and multiplied in the city as hundreds of thousands of Valencia supporters enjoyed a celebration like never before. Generations of Valencia fans celebrated all night and even went straight to Manises Airport to await the arrival of a team coming from Andalusia, landing at 1 p.m.

The entire city went wild, coming out onto the streets to welcome the league champions on a rainy day. Despite the unpleasant weather, the Town Hall, Basilica, and Generalitat were dressed in black and white. The climax arrived at Camp de Mestalla. With exemplary behavior from the fans, the team closed a memorable day that, fortunately, would soon be repeated.

The 2002/03 season brought a somewhat bittersweet taste following the league title win. Valencia CF began the campaign with the same squad that had won the championship, and qualifying for the UEFA Champions League was a top priority. The league started well, with the team securing its fifth victory in eight unbeaten matches by the eighth round, thanks to a goal by Fabio Aurelio. They ended the year as the top team in the First Division during the glorious year of 2002 after winning the league. However, the season did not conclude with the desired results, though it served as a valuable lesson for the future.

Thus, the 2003/04 season presented a challenge. Valencia CF had just missed out on the UEFA Champions League and had to settle for the UEFA Cup, a modest reward for a team that had proven its championship pedigree. Their pride and desire to succeed spurred a historic start to the season. After a draw against Real Valladolid, the team embarked on the best league start in history with six consecutive victories against formidable opponents like Real Madrid, Atlético de Madrid, Málaga, Osasuna, FC Barcelona, and Espanyol.

The 2003/04 league season confirmed a string of record achievements. Valencia CF accumulated 77 points from 23 wins, more than any other team, and was the top scorer with 71 goals (one of the highest averages in the club's history), while also repeating as the least conceded team with just 27 goals allowed. Additionally, the club was named the best in the world in April, among other honorary titles that rounded off the league victory just a year later.

Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets to celebrate this historic triumph. The images of the team being received at the Manises Airport and their subsequent parade through the city's streets, dedicating the victory to the Virgen de los Desamparados and appearing on the balconies of the Generalitat and the City Hall, will remain etched in the collective memory of Valencianismo for a lifetime.

While the league was being won, the UEFA Cup campaign was unfolding. The team faced AIK Solna from Sweden in October, a tie that proved more challenging than expected due to the physical strength of the Swedish team early in the season. A double victory of 1-0 secured progression to the next round, where Benítez’s team faced Maccabi Haifa from Israel.

The match at Mestalla ended in a worrying 0-0 draw. Additionally, the war situation in Israel made advancing even more difficult. However, a fair decision by UEFA allowed the match to be played on neutral ground, specifically in Rotterdam. The result was decisive: 4-0, taking Valencia CF a step closer to winning the European title.

In the third round, they faced Besiktas, the first Turkish team encountered in their campaign. A narrow 3-2 win in the first leg brought uncertainty for the return leg in the Turkish cauldron. Nevertheless, Valencia CF's champion mentality secured a decisive 0-2 victory.

In the Round of 16, another Turkish opponent awaited, albeit with a name hard to pronounce but having become the revelation of the tournament. Gençlerbirliği had previously eliminated Parma, Sporting Lisbon, and Blackburn Rovers, making the match at the 19 May Stadium anything but easy. However, March 11 is remembered not for the sporting event but for the Madrid bombing that claimed nearly two hundred lives. Given the magnitude of the disaster, UEFA almost postponed the match, but it was played and ended with a 1-0 defeat.

As usual, the tie was decided in the second leg. Again, the team overturned a negative result, with Vicente's goal in the fifth minute of extra time marking the first silver goal in UEFA history. The final result was 2-0, another hard-fought tie, and the quarter-finals were earned. With five matches remaining, Girondins de Bordeaux was the next rival. Optimism reigned in Valencia CF, which by April had become an unstoppable team. This was proven in Bordeaux with a clear 1-2 win and a favorable position for the semi-finals. Another solid 2-1 victory at Camp de Mestalla led to the semi-finals, where they would face Villarreal in the so-called “Euroderbi.”

Undoubtedly, this was the most thrilling of all the ties. The first match was characterized by its balance and excitement, though the 0-0 result was deemed unfair given the football displayed by both teams. Valencia CF was superior but settled for the draw. Given the friendly atmosphere between the two teams, it seemed fair that the passage to the final would be decided in a grand celebration at Camp de Mestalla.

As anticipated, the second leg was another exhilarating match, played fiercely, and where the weight of responsibility affected the game. A detail that decided the tie was a penalty on Mista, converted by the forward himself. Despite Villarreal's pressure, Valencia CF’s defensive solidity kept the door shut, and the final score of 1-0 brought apotheosis at Camp de Mestalla and a citywide celebration. That Thursday, May 7, was an extension of the joy that enveloped the team throughout the month. No matter what happened in Gothenburg, where the final was held, the team had already completed its most glorious season. Winning the UEFA Cup was seen as the crowning achievement of an impeccable campaign.

However, the team traveled with the intention of winning it and finally redeeming themselves from the finals in Paris and Milan. What transpired on May 20 was a historic invitation. With a superb performance from the entire team, especially Mista and Vicente, who scored the two goals, Valencia CF defeated Olympique de Marseille convincingly and reclaimed their place at the top of Europe after the legendary 1980 European Super Cup. The first historic double had been achieved.

As a final touch to this double, the UEFA Super Cup won in Monaco on August 27, 2004, made that year the greatest ever, a fact confirmed on January 11 with the team being named the best in the world.

The last title added to the club's honors came in the 2007/08 season with the seventh Copa del Rey. The team successively eliminated Real Unión Club de Irún, Real Betis, Atlético de Madrid, and in the semi-finals, FC Barcelona, after an epic victory in the second leg at Camp de Mestalla, which ended with a 3-2 result in favor.

The final, held at the Vicente Calderón Stadium on April 16, 2008, was won by Valencia CF with a decisive 3-1, following a powerful start with two goals from Alexis and Mata in the first 10 minutes, and a final goal from Morientes seven minutes before the end of the match. The stands of the Madrid coliseum, filled with black and white supporters, exploded with joy, celebrating a trophy that was more than deserved.

Two years after presenting the new stadium project, construction was halted in February 2009 due to the club's lack of liquidity, leading to a capital increase of 92,421,780 euros to avoid entering bankruptcy proceedings, as approved on June 7, 2009, in an extraordinary shareholders' meeting of Valencia CF.

The Fundació Valencia Club de Fútbol subscribed to the second phase of the capital increase after shareholders exercised their preferential subscription rights, and with the guarantee of the Instituto Valenciano de Finanzas (IVF), the remaining shares (72.5% of the club's share capital) were acquired, making it the majority shareholder after receiving authorization from the Consejo Superior de Deportes (CSD) on August 26, 2009.

On the sporting front, Valencia CF came close to competing in two finals in the 2011/12 season, but could not overcome FC Barcelona in the Copa del Rey and was eliminated over two legs by Atlético de Madrid in the UEFA Europa League, with both teams ultimately becoming champions.

In January 2013, Valencia CF faced severe financial difficulties. After Bankia decided not to refinance the loan granted in 2009, the Fundació Valencia CF decided to put the majority shareholding up for sale in early 2014 due to the club's significant economic problems. From the outset, Meriton Holdings, led by its owner Peter Lim, expressed interest in acquiring the majority stake in Valencia CF. Lim's ambition was to own a club capable of competing in the UEFA Champions League. This project received unanimous approval from the Fundació Valencia CF’s board on May 17, 2014. During the 2013/14 season, Valencia CF once again shone in European competitions, reaching the semifinals of the UEFA Europa League. The second-leg match at Mestalla turned out to be one of the more painful nights for the club, as Sevilla FC secured a place in the final with a goal in the 94th minute, eventually going on to win the title.

Following this agreement, a process began that culminated on October 24, 2014, when Meriton Holdings signed the purchase agreement for the shares of the Fundació Valencia CF, becoming the majority shareholder of the club. They also reached an agreement with Bankia to refinance the club's debt and that of its foundation. On December 1, 2014, the Extraordinary General Shareholders’ Meeting of Valencia CF approved the entry of Meriton Holdings into the club.

In the 2015/16 and 2017/18 seasons, Valencia CF came close to competing for titles, reaching the semifinals of the Copa del Rey on both occasions, only to be defeated by FC Barcelona, which went on to win both trophies.

The 2018/19 season was unforgettable for Valencia fans. The club celebrated its centenary with memorable events and an emotional closing ceremony where the club's legends gathered at Mestalla. The pinnacle of this celebration came on May 25, 2019, when Valencia CF won the Copa del Rey final against FC Barcelona. Once again in Seville, this time at the Benito Villamarín, Valencia CF triumphed 2-1 over the Catalan giants, with goals from Rodrigo Moreno and Kevin Gameiro.