Editing Valencia CF (section)

==Stadium==
[[File:Mestallapanoramic4.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Panoramic of the Mestalla]]
Valencia played its first years at the Algirós stadium, but moved to the [[Mestalla Stadium|Mestalla]] in 1923. In the 1950s, the Mestalla was restructured, which resulted in a capacity increase to 45,000 spectators. Today it holds 49,430 seats, making it the fifth largest stadium in Spain. It is also renowned for its steep terracing and for being one of the most intimidating atmospheres in Europe.<ref>Toby Davis, "[http://83.245.38.235/Templates/News/NewsArticle.aspx?id=38622&epslanguage=EN XI at 11: Great European Grounds]{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}", Setanta Sports, 23 April 2008. {{in lang|en}}</ref>
[[File:Mestalla trofeu taronja 120811.jpg|thumb|Valencia vs. [[A.S. Roma|Roma]] at the Mestalla in 2011]]
On 20 May 1923, the Mestalla pitch was inaugurated with a friendly match between Valencia and [[Levante UD]].

A long history has taken place on the Mestalla field since its very beginning, when the Valencia team was not yet in the [[La Liga|Primera División]]. Back then, this stadium could hold 17,000 spectators, and at that time, the club started to show its potential in regional championships, which led the managers of the time to carry out the first alterations of Mestalla in 1927. The stadium's total capacity increased to 25,000 before it became severely damaged during the Civil War; the Mestalla was used as a concentration camp and a junk warehouse. It would only keep its structure, since the rest was a lonely plot of land with no terraces and a stand broken during the war. Once the Valencian [[Pitch (sports)|pitch]] was renovated, the Mestalla stadium in which the team managed to bring home their first title in 1941.

During the 1950s, the Valencia ground experienced the deepest change in its whole history. That project resulted in a stadium with a capacity of 45,500 spectators, that eventually saw destruction by a [[1957 Valencia flood|flood in October 1957]] that arose from the overflowing of the [[Turia River]]. Nevertheless, the Mestalla not only returned to normality, but also some more improvements were added, like artificial light, which was inaugurated during the 1959 [[Fallas]] festivities.

During the 1960s, the stadium kept the same appearance, while the [[urban area|urban]] view around it was quickly being transformed. Moreover, the ground held its first European matches, with [[Nottingham Forest F.C.|Nottingham Forest]] being the first foreign team to play at the Mestalla, on 15 September 1961.

From 1969, the expression "''Anem a Mestalla''" ("Let's go to the Mestalla"), so common among the supporters, began to fall into oblivion. The reason of this was due to a proposed name change of the stadium to honor Luis Casanova Giner, the club's most successful president. Giner admitted he was completely overwhelmed by such honour, but requested in 1994 that the original name of Mestalla remained.

In 1972, the head office of the club, located in the back of the numbered terraces, was inaugurated. It consisted of an office of [[avant-garde]] style with a trophy hall, which held the founding flag of the club. In the summer of 1973, more goal seats, which meant the elimination of fourteen rows of standing [[Terrace (stadium)|terraces]], were added to provide comfort. Club management also considered the possibility of moving the Mestalla from its present location, to land on the outskirts of the town, before deciding against it.

Mestalla also hosted the [[Spain men's national football team|Spain national football team]] for the first time in 1925. It was chosen as the national team's group venue when Spain staged the [[1982 FIFA World Cup]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/82full.html|title=World Cup 1982 finals|website=[[RSSSF]]|access-date=2 February 2023|archive-date=1 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701154256/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/82full.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and at the [[1992 Summer Olympics]] held in [[Barcelona]]. All of Spain's matches up to the final were held at Mestalla, as they won Gold.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tableso/ol1992f-det.html|title=Football Tournament 1992 Olympiad|website=[[RSSSF]]|access-date=2 February 2023|archive-date=15 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415034321/https://www.rsssf.org/tableso/ol1992f-det.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Mestalla has been the setting for important international matches, has held several Cup finals, and has also been the home of Levante. The ground also provided a temporary home for [[CD Castellón|Castellón]] and [[Real Madrid C.F.|Real Madrid]] for European games due to stadium development.

===New stadium===
[[File:Maqueta Nuevo Mestalla.jpg|thumb|Model of [[Nou Mestalla]]|227x227px]]
The 2008–09 season was due to be the last season at the Mestalla, with the club intending to move to their new 75,000-seater stadium [[Nou Mestalla]] in time for the 2009–10 season. However, due to the club being in financial crisis, work on the new stadium has been heavily delayed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.worldsoccer.com/news/Valencias_financial_crisis_prompts_fire_sale_news_279976.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090408151928/http://www.worldsoccer.com/news/Valencias_financial_crisis_prompts_fire_sale_news_279976.html|url-status=dead|title=World Soccer 5 April 2009|archive-date=8 April 2009}}</ref> On 10 January 2025, it was reported that construction for Nou Mestalla has resumed and is set to be completed prior to the 2027–28 season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Valencia CF to resume Nou Mestalla construction, targeting 2027 move |url=https://www.laliga.com/en-MX/news/valencia-cf-to-resume-nou-mestalla-construction-targeting-2027-move |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=Página web oficial de LALIGA {{!}} LALIGA |language=en}}</ref>