CF Valencia returns to Steinbach

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/08/2025 (236 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

One of the most historic clubs in Spanish football returned to Steinbach to host a development camp for the second consecutive year.

CF Valencia was at the Steinbach Soccer Park, providing elite-level coaching for youth players from across the province last week.

The camp was led by Miguel Monge Mateus, who coaches for Valencia’s academy in Spain. The club is investing more and more in Canada, hosting summer camps in Moncton and Steinbach, alongside establishing a permanent campus in Montreal.

“I’m loving it,” Monge Mateus said.

“This is my first time in Canada. I’ve been pleasantly surprised. I expected it to be a bit more cold, but the weather’s been amazing, the people have been better than what I expected. I knew Canadians were nice, but they were even nicer.”

Monge Mateus was quick to praise the facilities in Steinbach, noting many places in Europe don’t have the luxury of five well-maintained grass fields to play on.

“It is very impressive,” he said.

“The facility is absolutely perfect… I think the obstacle is getting people from other cities to come here.”

Many high-profile clubs are looking at investing in Canadian soccer as the 2026 World Cup fast approaches.

“There’s a lot of potential in the North American market, including Canada, and I think there’s a shift in culture, there’s a shift in interest in the sport,” Monge Mateus said.

“The clubs are smart. They know where the potential is, they know where people have a lot of athletes… Like we was this week, there’s a lot of kids that just want to play.”

Monge Mateus’ resume includes stops throughout clubs in Spain and Luxembourg, including a stint with Barcelona as an intern. He even completed a master’s thesis on the impact of distances between players when they lose the ball in the attacking half of the field.

“It’s a blessing,” Monge Mateus said on getting to coach soccer for a professional club.

“It’s what I always wanted to do. As a kid, I wanted to be a player, as a grown-up I want to help other kids achieve their dreams. When they’re younger, they’re so motivated. When they’re younger they have so much passion in their eyes… I love my job.”

Monge Mateus coaches Valencia’s Under-8 team. Football clubs in Europe operate academies for young kids to develop talent.

“Having patience and waking up and being motivated about what you do is the major thing,” he replied when asked what it took to succeed as a younger-age coach at a big academy.

“The most important thing is being motivated and loving what you do.”

Monge Mateus ended the camp by thanking Canada and Steinbach for being such good hosts.