“Could a club from Africa be playing in La Liga next season? AD Ceuta — from the autonomous Spanish city of the same name, which is surrounded on the landward side by Morocco and located on the southern shore of the Mediterranean Sea — are the only club located on the African continent who play professional football in Europe. As recently as 2022, Ceuta were playing in Spain’s semi-professional regional fourth tier. Public funding and shrewd management have helped them win three promotions in five years to the second division. Now, they are one step away from La Liga. …”
NY Times/The Athletic
W – AD Ceuta FC
NY Times/The Athletic: A Spanish Team Endures on a Toehold in Africa (April 2023)
Muley El Mehdi mosque in Ceuta
The team from Africa playing in Spain: ‘We have Christians, Muslims and Jews sitting together in the stands’
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“The last time Elche were a top-flight side, they were flirting with unwanted records. In 2022-23 — their centenary year — they finished 12 points adrift at the bottom of the table, cycled through six different managers, and went 19 games without a win to get the season underway. Only two teams have ever made a worse start. But two years away from the limelight looks to have done Elche good, with a rebuilt squad and new approach under coach Eder Sarabia. He has taken them back to the top tier with a distinct brand of possession football, and it was only defeat to Alaves before the international break that prevented them from becoming the first newly-promoted side in Spanish top-flight history to go unbeaten in their opening eight games. …”
Scissors Kick 