Levante UD

Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. (Spanish: [leˈβante uˈnjon deporˈtiβa], Valencian: Llevant Unió Esportiva [ʎeˈvant uniˈo espoɾˈtiva]) is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, in the namesake community.

Founded on 9 September 1909 it plays in La Liga, holding home games at Ciutat de València.

History

Early years

Levante UD was originally founded in 1909 as Levante Fútbol Club, taking their name from the "Levante" beach in La Malvarrosa, and was one of the pioneering football clubs in Valencia. Local rivals Valencia CF were not formed until 1919; however, another club, Cabanyal FC, had been playing in the city since 1903.

The team's earliest games were played at La Platjeta, near the docks on a plot of land owned by a perfume entrepreneur. Its next ground was also near the port area, and the club gradually began to become associated with the working class. In 1919 the side played Valencia for the first time, losing 0–1 – the game marked the inauguration of the recently formed new ground at Algirós; in 1928 Levante FC won their first trophy, the Valencian Championship.

Levante UD (women)

Levante Unión Deportiva Femenino is the women's football team of Valencian football club Levante UD playing. Originally founded in 1993 as San Vicente CFF, the team was absorbed by Levante in 1998 after it won the national championship in its debut season in the top category. It subsequently attained three more leagues and six Cups between 1997 and 2008 including two doubles (2001, 2002) making it the most successful Spanish team, tied with Athletic Bilbao in leagues and RCD Espanyol in cups as of 2012. It was eliminated in its three appearances at the UEFA Women's Cup at the group stage, one round short from the quarter-finals.

Levante always ranked among the championship's top three between 2000 and 2009, but it subsequently experienced a slump ending the 2010 and 2011 in mid-table. The team improved in 2012 with a 5th position, but this result marked its first absence since 1999 in the shortened Copa de la Reina.

Current squad

As of 25 December 2015

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.