Levante UD

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Association football club from Valencia, Spain

title: "Levante UD" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["levante-ud", "la-liga-clubs", "football-clubs-in-valencia", "association-football-clubs-established-in-1909", "1909-establishments-in-spain", "segunda-división-clubs"] description: "Association football club from Valencia, Spain" topic_path: "sports" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levante_UD" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Association football club from Valencia, Spain ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox football club"]

FieldValue
clubnameLevante
imageLevante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. logo.svg
upright0.7
fullnameLevante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D.
nicknameGranotes (The Frogs)
Los Azulgranas
founded
groundEstadio Ciutat de València
capacity26,354
chrtitlePresident
chairmanPablo Sánchez
mgrtitleHead coach
managerLuís Castro
league
season
position
website
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current2025–26 Levante UD season
::

|clubname = Levante |image = Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. logo.svg |upright = 0.7 |fullname = Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. |nickname = Granotes (The Frogs) Los Azulgranas |founded = |ground = Estadio Ciutat de València |capacity = 26,354 |chrtitle = President |chairman = Pablo Sánchez |mgrtitle = Head coach |manager = Luís Castro |league = |season = |position = |website = | pattern_la1 = _levante2526h | pattern_b1 = _levante2526h | pattern_ra1 = _levante2526h | pattern_sh1 = _levante2526h | pattern_so1 = _levante2526hl |leftarm1 = 661424 |body1 = 222730 |rightarm1 = 661424 |shorts1 = 222730 |socks1 = 222730 |pattern_la2 = _levante2526a |pattern_b2 = _levante2526a |pattern_ra2 = _levante2526a |pattern_sh2 = _levante2526a |pattern_so2 = _levante2526al |leftarm2 = |body2 = |rightarm2 = |shorts2 = |socks2 = |pattern_la3 = _levante2526t |pattern_b3 = _levante2526t |pattern_ra3 = _levante2526t |pattern_sh3 = _levante2526t |pattern_so3 = _levante2526tl |leftarm3 = b0ecb5 |body3 = b0ecb5 |rightarm3 = b0ecb5 |shorts3 = b0ecb5 |socks3 = b0ecb5 |current = 2025–26 Levante UD season Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D. () is a Spanish football club in Valencia, in the namesake autonomous community.

Founded on 6 September 1909, the club will compete in La Liga for the 2025–26 season, holding home games at Ciutat de València Stadium.

History

Early years (1909–1935)

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/Llevant_FC_-_VCF_Mestalla_23.jpg" caption="Levante CF vs [[Valencia CF]] in 1932"] ::

Levante UD was formerly registered as Levante Football Club on 9 September 1909 (celebrating its 100th anniversary on 9 September 2009). Thus Levante is the oldest football club in the city of Valencia, with rival team Valencia CF not being formed until 1919.

Levante shares its name with the eastern region of the Iberian Peninsula, with Spain's east coast, the coast over which the sun rises (levantar in Spanish), with the Levant wind that comes from the east, and with the Levante beach in La Malvarrosa where Levante Football Club played some of its earliest fixtures.

Levante'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 became associated with the working class. In 1919, the side played Valencia CF for the first time, losing 0–1; the game marked the inauguration of the recently built ground at Algirós. In 1928, Levante FC won its first trophy, the Valencian Championship.

1909 also saw the birth of Gimnástico Football Club, which originally played at Patronato de la Juventud Obrera, being then named Gimnástico-Patronato. In 1919, Gimnástico became the champion of the Campeonato de Valencia, beating CD Castellón in the two-leg finals; the next year, the club became Real Gimnástico Football Club, after being granted royal patronage by Alfonso XIII, and they reached the final of Campeonato Regional de Levante, but lost to Club Deportivo Aguileño. In 1931, with the founding of the Second Spanish Republic, the club dropped the Real from its name.

In 1934–35, both Levante and Gimnástico debuted in the second division, when the league was expanded from 10 teams to 24. In 1935, Levante won the Campeonato Levante-Sur, a competition that featured teams from Valencia, Murcia and Andalusia, and subsequently reached the semi-finals of the Spanish Cup, consecutively beating Valencia and Barcelona before losing to eventual runners-up Sabadell.

During the civil war: Copa de la España Libre (1937)

During the Spanish Civil War, Levante and Gimnástico played in the Mediterranean League, finishing fifth and sixth, respectively. Teams from this league also competed in the Copa de la España Libre ("Free Spain Cup"). It was originally intended that the top four teams from the league would enter the cup, but Barcelona opted to tour Mexico and the United States, and as a result, Levante took its place. The first round of the competition was a mini-league with the top two teams, Levante and Valencia, qualifying for the final. On 18 July 1937, Levante defeated its city rivals 1–0 at the Montjuïc.

Merging: Gimnástico and Levante (1939)

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Escut_Gimnàtic_de_València.jpg" caption="Gimnàtic de València]] and [[Levante FC]], the two teams that created the Levante UD"] ::

During the Civil War, Levante's ground was destroyed, but the club's squad remained intact. In contrast, Gimnástico had a ground, Estadio de Vallejo, but had lost most of their players. As a result, in 1939 Levante FC and Gimnástico FC merged into Levante Unión Deportiva. Levante UD can thus trace its origin back to at least 1909 through both Levante FC and Gimnástico FC. The merged club was at first named Unión Deportiva Levante-Gimnástico, then changed it a few years later to Levante Unión Deportiva. The current club colours date from this era: the blaugrana, blue-garnet, home colours were originally those of Gimnástico FC, while the black and white away kit were the colours of Levante FC. Levante UD also inherited from Gimnástico FC their nickname, Granota, the Frogs.

La Liga: relegations and promotions (1963–present)

Levante had to wait until the 1960s to make its La Liga debut. In 1963, the club finished runner-up in Group II of the second division, defeating Deportivo de La Coruña 4–2 on aggregate in the promotion play-offs. During the first top flight season, it managed to win both games against Valencia, and also achieved a 5–1 home win against Barcelona in the 1964–65 campaign, but was relegated nonetheless after losing in the playoffs against Málaga. It spent most of the following two decades in the second and third divisions; the Segunda División B would not be created until 1977.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4d/Cruyff_levante_vs_palencia.jpg" caption="[[Johan Cruyff]] on his debut with Levante, March 1981"] ::

In the early 1980s, Dutch superstar Johan Cruyff played half a season for the club, retiring three years later. After winning 2003–04's second division, Levante returned to the top level but survived only one season. Finishing third in 2005–06, it returned for two additional campaigns, the decisive match in the 2006–07 season being a 4–2 home win against Valencia courtesy of Riga Mustapha (two goals), Salva and Laurent Courtois.

Levante's financial status worsened, however, and there were reports that the players had only received approximately one-fifth of their contractual payments. News reports stated that the club had incurred a debt of over €18 million in payments due to its players. The team plummeted down the standings, and it was confirmed with several matches to go that the club would be playing in the second division in 2008–09. The players protested at their lack of payments at one point, refusing to move for several seconds after the opening whistle against Deportivo and later announcing that they would strike during the season-ending game at Real Madrid. The threat was withdrawn when league officials announced that a benefit game would be played between a Levante XI and a Primera División XI, with all receipts going to pay the Levante players' wages.

On 13 June 2010, Levante returned to La Liga after a 3–1 home win against already relegated Castellón, making its final round 0–4 defeat at Real Betis irrelevant. Under the manager who led the team back to the top flight, Luis García Plaza, Levante finally retained its top division status in the 2010–11 season. At one point in the league's second round of matches, Levante was third in the table behind Barcelona and Real Madrid, after losing just once (against Real Madrid) in 12 games. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/28/Levante_Unión_Deportiva_league_performance_1929-present.svg" caption="Chart of Levante UD league performance 1929–present"] ::

On 26 October 2011, during round nine of the season, Levante defeated Real Sociedad 3–2 to move top of the first division table for the first time in the club's history, with 23 points. In the process, it recorded seven straight wins after drawing its first two games. The club eventually finished sixth after defeating Athletic Bilbao 3–0 at home in its last match, thus qualifying for the UEFA Europa League for the first time in its history. There, they made it to the last 16 before a 2–0 extra-time loss to Russia's FC Rubin Kazan. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/Deportivolevante.JPG" caption="[[Deportivo de La Coruña]] vs. Levante."] ::

In the 2015–16 season, Levante was relegated after defeat by Málaga and finished last. The club was promoted back to the top league in 2016–17, winning the Segunda División title. In the 2017–18 season, the club secured safety in the league and on 13 May, beat the champions Barcelona 5–4 (having led 5–1 early in the second half), with Emmanuel Boateng scoring his first ever career hat-trick. This win ended Barcelona's hopes of achieving an unbeaten season.

In the 2021–22 season, Levante was relegated after being defeated 0–6 by Real Madrid, ending their five years in the top tier.

Seasons

Recent history

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d5/Levante_(2013).jpg" caption="Before a game in March 2013"] ::

::data[format=table]

SeasonDivPos.PldWDLGFGAPtsCupNotes
2003–042D1st4222137593379Last 16
2004–051D18th3891019395837
2005–062D3rd42201485339741st round
2006–071D15th38101216375342Last 16
2007–081D20th387526337526Last 16
2008–092D8th42181014595964
2009–102D3rd4219149634571
2010–111D14th3812917415245Last 16
2011–121D6th3816715545055Quarter-finals
2012–131D11th38121016405746Last 16
2013–141D10th38121214354348Quarter-finals
2014–151D14th3891019346737Last 16
2015–161D20th3678213466291st round
2016–172D1st4225985732842nd round
2017–181D15th38111314445846Last 16
2018–191D15th38111116596644Last 16
2019–201D12th3814717475349Last 32
2020–211D14th3891415465741Semi-finals
2021–221D19th38811195176352nd round
2022–232D3rd4218186463072Last 16
2023–242D8th42132094945592nd round
2024–252D1st42221376942791st round
::

European record

::data[format=table]

SeasonCompetitionRoundOppositionHomeAwayAggregate
2012–13UEFA Europa LeaguePlay-off roundScotland Motherwell1–02–03–0
Group LNetherlands Twente3–00–02nd
Germany Hannover 962–21–2
Sweden Helsingborg1–03–1
Round of 32Greece Olympiacos3–01–04–0
Round of 16Russia Rubin Kazan0–00–20–2
::

Season to season

::data[format=table]

SeasonTierDivisionPlaceCopa del ReyFirst roundQuarterfinalsFirst roundFirst round---Round of 16Fifth roundFourth roundThird round--------Round of 32
1939–4022ª1st
1940–4122ª3rd
1941–4222ª8th
1942–4331ª Reg.1st
1943–4433ª1st
1944–4533ª2nd
1945–4633ª1st
1946–4722ª6th
1947–4822ª5th
1948–4922ª9th
1949–5022ª13th
1950/5122ª13th
1951–5222ª14th
1952–5333ª2nd
1953–5433ª1st
1954–5522ª15th
1955–5633ª1st
1956–5722ª11th
1957–5822ª4th
1958–5922ª2nd
::

| style="vertical-align:top;"| ::data[format=table]

SeasonTierDivisionPlaceCopa del ReyFirst roundFirst roundFirst roundRound of 16Round of 32Round of 16First roundRound of 32First round-Third roundFirst roundSecond roundThird roundFifth roundFourth roundFirst roundSecond roundThird roundSecond round
1959–6022ª6th
1960–6122ª6th
1961–6222ª6th
1962–6322ª2nd
1963–6411ª10th
1964–6511ª14th
1965–6622ª5th
1966–6722ª4th
1967–6822ª14th
1968–6933ª3rd
1969–7033ª4th
1970–7133ª12th
1971–7233ª6th
1972–7333ª1st
1973–7422ª19th
1974–7533ª2nd
1975–7633ª1st
1976–7722ª18th
1977–7832ª B4th
1978–7932ª B1st
::

|} ::data[format=table]

SeasonTierDivisionPlaceCopa del ReyThird roundRound of 16Third roundSecond roundSecond roundSecond round--Third roundSecond roundFirst roundThird roundThird roundSecond roundThird roundFirst roundThird roundSecond roundFirst roundRound of 16
1979–8022ª10th
1980–8122ª9th
1981–8222ª19th
1982–8343ª2nd
1983–8443ª2nd
1984–8532ª B11th
1985–8632ª B10th
1986–8743ª2nd
1987–8832ª B6th
1988–8932ª B1st
1989–9022ª15th
1990–9122ª19th
1991–9232ª B11th
1992–9332ª B9th
1993–9432ª B3rd
1994–9532ª B1st
1995–9632ª B1st
1996–9722ª9th
1997–9822ª22nd
1998–9932ª B1st
::

| style="vertical-align:top;"| ::data[format=table]

SeasonTierDivisionPlaceCopa del Reyprem. roundRound of 32Round of 32Round of 64Round of 16Round of 32First roundRound of 32Round of 16Second roundSecond roundRound of 16QuarterfinalsRound of 16QuarterfinalsRound of 16Round of 32Second roundRound of 16Round of 16
1999–200022ª7th
2000–0122ª8th
2001–0222ª19th
2002–0322ª4th
2003–0422ª1st
2004–0511ª18th
2005–0622ª3rd
2006–0711ª15th
2007–0811ª20th
2008–0922ª8th
2009–1022ª3rd
2010–1111ª14th
2011–1211ª6th
2012–1311ª11th
2013–1411ª10th
2014–1511ª14th
2015–1611ª20th
2016–1722ª1st
2017–1811ª15th
2018–1911ª15th
::

|} ::data[format=table]

SeasonTierDivisionPlaceCopa del ReyRound of 32SemifinalsSecond roundRound of 16Second roundFirst roundRound of 32
2019–2011ª12th
2020–2111ª14th
2021–2211ª19th
2022–2322ª3rd
2023–2422ª8th
2024–2522ª1st
2025–2611ª
::

|}

Players

Current squad

Reserve team

Main article: Atlético Levante UD

Out on loan

Club officials

Current technical staff

Notable former players

Note: this list includes players that have appeared in at least 100 league games and/or have reached international status.

Coaches

Honours

National competitions

Regional competitions

Friendly tournaments

  • Trofeo Costa de Valencia
    • Winners: 1972, 1974, 1977
  • Trofeo Comunidad Valenciana
    • Winners: 1986
  • Trofeo Ciutat de València
    • Winners: 1995
  • Trofeo Ciudad de Valencia
    • Winners: 1997
  • Trofeo de la Generalitat Valenciana
    • Winners: 2000

Stadium

Main article: Estadi Ciutat de València

Estadi Ciutat de València was opened on 9 September 1969, with capacity for 25,354 spectators. The pitch measures 107 by 69 metres. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/Estadi_Ciutat_de_València_-_nocturna.jpg" caption="Levante UD home stadium Estadi Ciutat de València."] ::

Due to the 2019–20 season's late finish because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and renovation work at their stadium, Levante concluded the campaign behind closed doors at the Estadi Olímpic Camilo Cano in La Nucia, Province of Alicante.

Rivals

Main article: Valencia derby

Levante contest the Derbi Valenciano, also known as the Derbi del Turia or Derbi Valentino, with local rivals Valencia. The fixture has been played 38 times competitively, with Valencia winning 21 times to Levante's 8.

References

References

  1. (2018-05-15). "Levante: Paco López es el hombre de moda tras vencer al Barça".
  2. (13 September 2018). "Ten things you may not know about the Ciutat de Valencia stadium". Laliga.es.
  3. "Levante UD Información al Espectador".
  4. "Estadi Ciutat de Valencia - Levante". The Stadium Guide.
  5. (13 September 2018). "Levante Unión Deportiva SAD". Laliga.es.
  6. "La nostra història, el nostre orgull".
  7. "El Levante cumple cien años".
  8. (15 June 2010). ""Se siente, se nota, Valencia es granota"".
  9. (28 November 2011). "La historia más enorme jamás contada".
  10. "El nacimiento del fútbol en Valencia". Levanteud.com.
  11. (16 December 2014). "Siempre Tuyo, Levante Ud".
  12. "Levant". Dictionary.com.
  13. [https://www.rsssf.org/tabless/span-levantechamp.html Spain – List of Champions of Levante, Valencia and Murcia] {{Webarchive. link. (13 February 2023 ; at [[Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation). RSSSF]]
  14. [https://www.rsssf.org/tabless/spancuplibre37.html Spain – Copa de España Libre 1937]; at RSSSF
  15. [https://www.marca.com/futbol/copa-rey/2023/03/25/641ef935ca47410a6f8b4572.html La Federación reconoce la Copa del Levante de 1937 y la del Deportivo de 1912] {{Webarchive. link. (3 April 2023 , [The Federation recognizes Levante's 1937 Cup and Deportivo's 1912 Cup], Noel Rodilla, Marca, 25 March 2023 (in Spanish))
  16. "Todo empezó en el mes de septiembre de 1909". Levanteud.com.
  17. "Why are Levante called the 'granotas'?". Laliga.es.
  18. La Vanguardia. (26 October 2011). "Las diez leyendas del Levante". Lavanguardia.com.
  19. (31 August 2009). "El Levante cumple cien años... Más dos".
  20. [https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2011/oct/31/la-liga-levante-finally-dethroned Levante are finally dethroned as La Liga becomes a more boring place] {{Webarchive. link. (14 June 2024 ; ''[[The Guardian]]'', 31 October 2011)
  21. [https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2011/oct/17/levante-la-liga-expendables-2 Levante are back and this time they're ready to take on the world] {{Webarchive. link. (14 June 2024 ; ''The Guardian'', 17 October 2011)
  22. [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/sid_lowe/10/26/levante/index.html Levante pulls off the impossible] {{Webarchive. link. (28 October 2011 ; [[Sports Illustrated]], 26 October 2011)
  23. [https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/29/sports/soccer/levante-la-ligas-david-stares-down-at-spains-two-goliaths.html Underdog turns heads at the top in Spain] {{Webarchive. link. (23 December 2016 ; ''[[The New York Times]]'', 28 October 2011)
  24. (13 May 2012). "Ghezzal helps Levante secure European place". [[ESPN Soccernet]].
  25. (14 March 2013). "Rubin edge out Levante in extra time". UEFA.
  26. "LaLiga – Levante 5–4 Barcelona: Emmanuel Boateng scores the first hat-trick of his career against Barcelona". MARCA in English.
  27. (14 May 2018). "Levante 5-4 Barcelona: Catalans' unbeaten run comes to an end in nine-goal thriller". Sky Sports.
  28. "Plantilla". Levante UD Web Oficial.
  29. "Pedro López y Juan Miguel Bernat dejan el Levante". as.com.
  30. [https://www.rsssf.org/tablesc/costavalencia.html Trofeo Costa de Valencia] {{Webarchive. link. (4 April 2023 ；at RSSSF)
  31. (15 December 2017). "Trofeo Comunidad Valenciana".
  32. (22 June 2020). "El At.Madrid jugará mañana contra el Levante UD en La Nucía". El Peridic.
  33. (25 November 2015 }}{{Dead link). "Valencian Derby: 8 Surprising Anecdotes About The Most Exciting Football Encounter". ISC Spain.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

levante-udla-liga-clubsfootball-clubs-in-valenciaassociation-football-clubs-established-in-19091909-establishments-in-spainsegunda-división-clubs