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WORCESTER MASSACHUSETTS – A beautiful sunny day saw an even matchup unfold between Valeo FC and New York Shockers at General Foley Stadium in Worcester, MA. Both teams had chances in the first half and after a scoreless 30 minutes, Shockers took the lead off of a fairly uneventful goal.

Valeo evened the score soon after. It was 1-1 at the half but it wouldn’t last long as Shockers scored within 5 minutes to take a 2-1 lead and then put Valeo away with another goal to finish off the game. The game finished 3-1 with NY Shockers earning their first win of the season on the road while Valeo starts the season winless.

Valeo continues their season at home again next Saturday taking on Stockade FC at General Foley Stadium with kickoff at 7:00pm

NEWTON MASSACHUSETTS – Valeo FC, a global soccer club, is excited to announce the full pathway for MLS NEXT Zone 2 age-group teams and its participation in the National Academy League for the 2023/24 season.

As one of only four Massachusetts clubs participating in the National Academy League, Valeo FC will provide a competitive platform geared towards college recruiting and regional and national exposure for its players. The National Academy League serves as a Pre-MLS NEXT platform where technical and administrative processes will be aligned with the MLS NEXT platform.

This new initiative will provide our players with the game-day preparation needed to excel in collegiate and professional soccer environments. Our dedicated coaching staff and state-of-the-art facilities will ensure that our players have access to the best possible resources for their development.

“We are thrilled to offer our players a full pathway for MLS NEXT Zone 2 age-group teams by participating in the National Academy League,” said Corlton Simmond, Director of Global Soccer Operations for Valeo FC. ” Our commitment to providing our players with the resources and platform needed to excel in soccer is unwavering. We believe that this new initiative will provide our players with the preparation and exposure they need to succeed in collegiate and professional soccer.”

“Valeo FC provides an environment that holistically guides a player with a complete pathway at one club to fulfill their soccer goal of becoming a collegiate player or national or international professional player,” said Altimont Butler, MLS Next Staff Coach and former MLS and World cup player. Valeo FC presently has gap year programs in Portugal and Ireland as well as an NPSL national league team for players that need additional collegiate preparation after high school club soccer. For players that are more aggressive in becoming a professional player, Valeo FC presently has a semi-professional team in the 4th division in Portugal and a professional team in the 1st division in Ireland. We also have a relationship with regional MLS teams for players that prefer the domestic national platform.

Valeo FC has a long history of producing top-tier soccer players, and we are proud to continue our tradition of excellence. With the full pathway for MLS NEXT Zone 2 age-group teams and participation in the National Academy League, Valeo FC is excited about the future and looks forward to continuing to develop the next generation of soccer stars.

About Valeo Futbol Club

Valeo Futbol Club Inc. is a global soccer training organization that provides opportunities and access for young student-athletes, regardless of their socio-economic status and geography. Valeo FC trains thousands of athletes throughout North America, the Caribbean, and Europe each year, including extensive outreach and inclusion for inner-city youth. They provide a challenging and rewarding environment that teaches the virtues of teamwork, discipline, hard work, commitment, respect, and leadership.

NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS —Valeo Futbol Club Inc. – an elite global futbol training organization focused on developing highly competitive athletes, outstanding citizens, and strong leaders – today announced a new partnership with Athlone Town Association Football Club, an Irish football club whose adult teams play in the League of Ireland.

Under the terms of the partnership, Valeo Futbol Club will lend its footballing expertise to all of Athlone Town AFC’s teams and oversee their technical direction. It will additionally lead efforts to transform Athlone’s Youth Academy into a global football development center of excellence for ambitious players and coaches.  

The goal of this partnership is to create a world-class training and development environment for elite players and coaches from all over Ireland, and attract the best and brightest young players from across the globe.

“Athlone Town Association Football Club has a storied history as the oldest team in the League of Ireland,” said Valeo Futbol Club’s Founder and President, Emelio Williams. “With this exciting new partnership, we will work hand-in-hand to improve all of the club’s teams, strengthen the club’s training program and develop the next generation of players”.

Based in the heart of Ireland, Athlone Town Association Football Club was founded in 1887. First elected to the League of Ireland in 1922, the club plays its home matches in their stadium in Lissywollen, which opened in 2007. 

A two-time men’s domestic champion Athlone Town has competed in European Competition on several occasions. The club famously held seven-time Champions League winners AC Milan scoreless in a home UEFA Cup tie. 

“This partnership will help Athlone get to the next level in and improve our competitiveness in Ireland’s First Division,” said Athlone Town Association Football Club’s Club President, John Hayden. “But perhaps more importantly, it will help our players – and generations of players to come – access new opportunities to play football at the highest levels in Ireland and Europe.”

NEWTON, MA — It was a rainy and brisk Sunday afternoon as the U13 MLS Next squad took on Cedar Stars Academy. Kickoff was slated for 4:30pm, and once the referee blew the whistle, the fireworks began.

It was a back and forth matchup between two familiar foes to start the game, each team creating their own chances, moving up and down the field and teasing the opponents net minders with shot attempts at the top of their respective boxes, but through the first twenty minutes, neither team could find the breakthrough. Valeo’s goalkeeper Paul would make several key saves to keep the home side in the fight. However, soon after, a ball would be played through down the right flank sending a Cedar Stars forward in alone on a breakaway finding the back of the net to make it 1-0 Cedar Stars.

This would not deter Valeo’s ambitions as right away they would storm down the field creating multiple set pieces, corner kicks, free kicks, but none would get by the Cedar Stars goalkeeper. A few minutes before the end of the first half, an accidental giveaway would give Cedar Stars the ball just outside the box, putting a shot low past Valeo’s goalkeeper into the bottom lefthand corner making it 2-0.

Early on in the second half, Valeo would come out of the gate aggressively and would slot one past the Cedar Stars keeper off of a corner kick. They would continue to push throughout the second half, but one would be all they could muster, and that’s how the score would finish, 1-2.

Valeo’s U13 MLS Next squad returns to action next week October 29th when they take on NEFC on the road.

It was a weekend full of excitement and energy for multiple Valeo squads this past weekend. Over the holiday weekend, Valeo sent teams to two different tournaments. The first was the Seacoast United Ocean Cup in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and the second was the EDP Fall Cup in New Jersey.

Some of the highlights

On the first day of the Seacoast United Ocean Cup, the 2012 girls won both of their games they played that day, and the 2011 girls won their only matchup of the day. The 2012 girls would push all the way to the finals, but would unfortunately fall in a 2-0 final score losing on a penalty kick and wacky own goal. The 2014 girls would make their respective run all the way to the finals as well, only to lost 1-0 in penalty kicks. That wouldn’t dampen any of their spirits though as they all left with their heads held high.

The boys 2013 Napoli squad would finish first in their bracket with six total points. With a 2-2 and 4-2 result, the 2013 Boston boys would finish second in their respective bracket. The 2011 Rangers and Celtic squads would finish second and first in their U12 brackets.

The EDP Fall Cup saw the 2014 Bayern boys squad battle in a competitive group all the way to a third place finish with a 7-3 win, 5-5 draw, and 3-5 loss.

Both tournaments saw several Valeo squads finish in the top halves of their respective brackets. It was a weekend full of great soccer, elite development, lots of smiles, and even more fun.

Current Valeo FC Nazaré midfielder and former Valeo FC NPSL player, Rahul Drukpa, is on the Valeo Values podcast!

Carter and Rahul talk about…

– Rahul’s humble beginnings in Nepal

– His initial impression of New England winters

– What it means to reach his goal of playing professionally in Europe

– His advice to young footballers who want to go pro

– How Valeo Nazaré head coach Diogo Botas gives him the confidence to play his game …and much more!

Learn more about Valeo Europe

Rio Maior, Portugal —

Valeo Futbol Club Inc. – the international soccer training organization that aims to provide a world-class development pathway for student-athletes – is pleased to announce Dario Castelo as Sporting Director of Valeo Europe. Castelo brings with him over 15 years of coaching an administrative experience working with clubs like Sporting Portugal and FC Barcelona, and has scouted internationally for countries like the U.S., Spain, England, Scotland, and many more.

As Sporting Director of Valeo Europe, Castelo will oversee every aspect of Valeo Europe’s programs, including but not limited to the coaches, facilities, staff members, and the players brought into the programs. Castelo currently holds his UEFA B License, and is fluent in English, Portuguese, Spanish, and French.

From 2004-2006, Castelo acted as the Youth Football Coordinator and U19 Sports Director for Clube Desportivo Mafra in Portugal before moving to the Seniores B Team Sports Director in 2007, and then as the U13 Head Coach in 2008. The, from 2008-2010 he took on the role of Youth Football Coordinator and H had Coach for the U13 and U15 teams for Atlético Clube Malveira in Portugal. Since then, Castelo has acted as a Youth Football Coordinator and Youth Head Coach for clubs like Alcainça Atlético Clube and Mafra City Hall Football School until 2016. From 2016-2018, Castelo took on a larger role as the Recruitment and Scouting Coordinator at Sporting Club Portugal. Since then, Castelo has acted as the Sports Director and Youth Football Coordinator, Recruiting, and Scouting for GD Oásis Atlântico, 1st Division in Cape Vert – África.

“Dario will make a great addition to the Valeo Europe staff” said Valeo FC Founder and President Emelio Williams, “his vast experience matched with his passion for elite youth development will propel Valeo Europe’s programs into the premier academy in Europe.”

To learn more about Valeo Futbol Club Inc., click here.

Connect with Valeo Futbol Club Inc.

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Newton, MA – Valeo FC is excited to announce that Diogo Botas has signed on as the head of Valeo FC Europe. Botas brings a tremendous amount of experience both in coaching and as a player, along with a plethora of experience coaching in the United States and in Portugal, most recently with Sporting Lisbon. Botas is currently serving as the head coach of Valeo’s National Premier Soccer League team in Newton, Massachusetts.

As the head of Valeo Europe, Botas will be responsible for all aspects of coaching the Valeo players who come to train at the program and developing their footballing and educational goals.

European soccer coach

Coach Botas currently holds his UEFA B license, and has a Masters degree in Sport Training with a specialization in football in the faculty of human kinetics.

As a player, Botas was a part of Industrial Desportivo Vieirense from 2002-2014 in Portugal’s 5th division. From there, Botas began his youth coaching career with Associação Desportiva da Estação as their U10 coach before moving on to clubs like Marítimo Futebol Clube de Rosário, Clube Desportivo Vila Franca do Rosário, Sporting Clube de Portugal (famously Cristiano Ronaldo’s former club), and BE1 NFA in Lithuania where he lead a regional and national championship team with the U16 and U19’s respectively.

“We’re so excited to have Diogo head up Valeo Europe,” said Valeo FC founder and president Emelio Williams, “we’ve seen what he’s capable of as a coach, we know how influential he can be, we see the experience he has, and we couldn’t think of anyone else more prepared to develop our players into both exceptional footballers and human beings.”

RIO MAIOR, PORTUGAL, September 29, 2022, For Immediate Release

Valeo Futbol Club Inc. – the international soccer training organization that aims to provide a world-class development pathway for student-athletes – is pleased to announce the relaunch of Valeo International Academy (VIA), a full-time European football residency training program based in Rio Maior, Portugal.

The VIA program is focused on developing and preparing elite players from clubs, high schools, and colleges, to excel professionally and internationally. Through its partnerships with specialist academies and professional clubs in Portugal, VIA offers development in academia, football excellence, and leadership. 

VIA will begin with the Fall semester in September, 2022, and run throughout the regular academic year.  Players will train over 20 hours per week in a variety of formats that include individual, small group, and team training sessions.

VIA players live together in the chaperoned, state-of-the-art Rio Maior High Performance Center: one of the most versatile and advanced sports complexes in Europe that caters to the most demanding footballers, clubs, and teams.  The facilities boasts a 7,300 seat stadium, 4 training fields, 1 beach soccer sand pitch, 2,200 seat futsal/ indoor arena, 3 pools, 2 strength training rooms, medical, rehabilitation facilities and state of the art performance lab.  It is currently the home of the Portuguese Football Federation, where they prepare their football, futsal, and beach soccer teams for the European and World Championships.

Sports Science School of Rio Maior

Academic life is of utmost importance to the program. As such, Valeo FC have developed a custom curriculum in partnership with the Sports Science School of Rio Maior ESDRM (Escola Superior de Desporto de Rio Maior). The institution is a fully-accredited, award winning public university that is part of the Polytechnic Institute of Santarém and provides training based on solid scientific, technological and pedagogical knowledge. The flexibility of the VIA academic program allows students to tailor their schedules to work around training, competition and travel demands. 

As a premier development opportunity, prospective players must go through an extensive application process. To date, VIA has accepted six high school boys for the Fall. This cohort of players are all between the ages of 14-18 and have spent the last few years competing at the highest level of youth soccer in North America. For more information on the Academy or the application process, please contact Carter Hochman (carter@valeofc.com).

“The goal of the VIA program is to create the finest, most rigorous soccer development environment for ambitious players who want to train and play the game at the highest level,” said Emelio Williams, Founder and President of Valeo FC. “We are providing the opportunity and the gateway for talented players to play professionally in European leagues.”

To learn more about Valeo Futbol Club Inc., click here.

Connect with Valeo Futbol Club Inc.

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

DORCHESTER, MA (February 15, 2022) – Thanks to our generous sponsors and donors, Valeo FC has now been able to establish free and low-cost leagues to serve inner-city youth in Boston’s neighborhoods. 

Part of Valeo’s mission has been and always will be to provide the opportunity for anyone anywhere regardless of their socioeconomic background to be able to play the beautiful game, and learn the life lessons that come with it. Now anyone in the Greater Boston area interested in getting involved in either Valeo or just simply kicking a soccer ball around can do it at little to no cost at all.

“This program isn’t just about soccer or coaching, it’s about shaping young minds through an outlet that otherwise may not have been available to them” says Valeo FC Founder Emilio Williams.