Esquerdo pays surprise visit to centre in Calpe

Vicente Esquerdo is a perfect example of the VCF Academy motto of "We educate people and train footballers." Not only has he recently debuted for the first team, he has also taken time out from his summer holidays to visit the Centro Ocupacional Maite Boronat facility this week. The centre offers occupational therapy, plus personal and social support, for disabled people who are unable to integrate into a workplace.

The idea for the visit came about from a chance conversation with one of Esquerdo's neighbours.

"She works there, and she told me that one of the guys at the centre had mentioned that a kid from Calpe was playing for Valencia CF," recalls Esquerdo, who decided to spring a surprise at the nearest opportunity.
"I was happy to have spent some time with them, to chat with them and to answer their questions," says Esquerdo.

"They asked me about how we had adopted the safety and hygiene measures at the club, were surprised at the amount of protocols and also asked me about other players; they wanted to know if it felt strange to go from watching them on television to seeing them in my day-to-day life."

One of his biggest fans at the centre is Antonio. "He'd heard that I was going to visit, and I knew that they would like that," the VCF Academy product explained. "He told me that he was looking forward to seeing me playing more often for the team."

Vicente Esquerdo's social conscience is typical of the club's philosophy, developed during his time in the residence at the Ciudad Deportiva from age 14-18.

"These are values that I've learned at home, of course, but when you have been part of the VCF Academy since the age of 14, the VCF Academy also becomes your home."