2015-2016 Inaugural Season Overview

Marbella United F.C. kicked off its inaugural season in August 2015 in Marbella, Spain. Our program partnered with the American College in Spain to meet the academic needs of our student-athletes in high school and college. We trained and played our home games at the beautiful Marbella Football Center, which hosts professional clubs and national teams worldwide. Our teams competed in leagues in the Malaga and Sevilla regions of the Spanish Federation. We competed regularly with La Liga academies and other professional clubs throughout Europe. American players from our program advanced to San Pedro, the third-division Spanish club in our first season. Americans also had tryout opportunities with first and second-division clubs in Holland and Belgium. R.O.D.A. J.C., Holland, and K.F.C.O. Beerschot Wilrijk, Belgium, both intended to sign Tommy Bueno from Winchester, Virginia, if he could secure his European passport. Unexpected complications with the Italian passport authority denied the opportunity—Tommy Bueno signed with Club Deportivo San Pedro, 3rd Division in Spain.

Granada F.C. soccer collage featuring the club crest, players competing on the field, and a team group photo.

On October 19th, 2016 Marbella United FC took a squad of 21 student-athletes to La Liga's Granada CF, U18 Academy which is 5th in the Division de Honor Juvenil de Futbol (the top academy league in Spain). MUFC drew with Granada 1-1. In the first half, Granada scored first against our senior team. In the second half, MUFC equalized the score with a great effort from Gus Chaves beating their right back to cross the ball through the 6-yard box which Elijah Mwenebitu ran onto to hit the back of the net.

Large soccer team posing in navy uniforms in front of a tour bus
Valencia CF soccer collage featuring the club crest, players training on a field, and a youth team group photo.
Levante U.D. soccer collage featuring the team crest, players in action, and a full team photo.
Villareal C.F. crest beside soccer players competing on a field
Soccer players in yellow and red-orange jerseys chase the ball on an outdoor field in front of covered bleachers.
Cádiz CF crest beside a soccer match photo of two players competing for the ball
Large soccer team in orange uniforms posing outside the Marbella Football Center

At our home venue, Marbella Football Center

Young soccer players competing on an outdoor artificial turf field, with an orange-uniformed player dribbling the ball past two players in green uniforms.

Marbella United FC loses 0-2 to Real Betis U18's in Sevilla. The day included a tour of the Real Betis stadium, Benito Villamarin, lunch at their training facility and another La Liga development game

Soccer players in orange and white uniforms compete on an outdoor field in front of red stadium seats.

Verse Division 2b Hurrican First Team

NEC Nijmegen football club crest with red, green, and black shield design
Soccer players competing for the ball on a grassy field during a match
Soccer players competing near the goal as an orange-shirted player controls the ball and a goalkeeper defends the net.

Marbella United FC played NEC Nijmegen Pro Academy in the 2nd Semester of the Season

K.F.C.O. Beerschot Wilrijk soccer club crest featuring a crowned shield, gold lion, blue and purple panels, and the text “Tene Quod Bene” and “Antwerpen.”
Crowded covered football stadium stand with Beerschot supporters displaying large banners and flags.
Head-and-shoulders portrait of a soccer player in an orange Marbella United FC jersey against a blue background
Roda JC Kerkrade soccer stadium with club crest painted on the field and yellow-and-black stands
Soccer players in blue-and-white and orange uniforms competing on a stadium field

After finishing a one week trial with ROJA JC FC in Holland, Marbella United FC's Tommy Buono went on a 2-week trial with the Belgian club, K.F.C.O. Beerschot Wilrijk of the second division.

Collage of Marbella, Spain, featuring whitewashed flower-lined streets, a marina, turquoise Mediterranean waters, and mountain views.

Partnership with The American College in Spain

Large group of young men in matching navy polo shirts posing outside Ali Winehouse at The American College in Spain.
Open Spanish sports newspaper featuring a Marbella United soccer team photo and articles about international student players and coach Bobby Lennon.

Malaga Futbol news of Marbella United FC

Soccer players competing for the ball during a professional match

Marbella United FC was proud to announce that another former player had advanced his pro career. Shelby Printemps has signed with Surabaya United of the Indonesian Super League after spending the past 1.5 years in Germany with FSV Optik Rathenow. He also made his first appearance with the Haiti National Team. Shelby was a member of the US Soccer Academy in Washington DC before the academy moved to Spain to become MUFC.

Smiling man wearing an orange Marbella United FC soccer jersey against a blue background
Smiling soccer player in a red U.D. San Pedro jersey posing in front of the club crest and sponsor backdrop

In October of 2015, MUFC had its first player James Queree sign with a Spanish club, U.D. San Pedro of the 3rd Division. He quickly found his way into the starting 11. On October 27, 2015, our two clubs officially signed an agreement that promotes player development and professional opportunities. San Pedro lost their final 2014-15 playoff game that would have promoted the club to the 2b Division. James Queree, was then promoted to the MUFC Director of Operations position and became a member of our coaching staff.

U.D. S. Pedro shield logo with red and black sections, orange soccer ball, and white diagonal banner

6 more of our players later signed with U.D. San Pedro's A & B teams

Two U.D. San Pedro soccer players in red jerseys pose on a soccer field at night.
Soccer team posing in red uniforms on a field with mountains in the background
Soccer players in red and green-striped uniforms chase the ball during a match.
Soccer players compete in front of a goal as spectators watch from the stands.
Soccer players in red uniforms celebrate near the goal while an opposing player in white and red stands on the field.
Soccer match in progress with players near the penalty area and a scoreboard showing 2–0.

Click the image above to watch Tommy’s debut goal

Portrait of a young man wearing an orange Marbella United FC soccer jersey against a blue background
Portrait of a bearded man wearing an orange Marbella United FC soccer jersey against a blue background
Portrait of a young male soccer player wearing an orange Marbella United FC jersey against a blue background
Portrait of a male soccer player wearing an orange Marbella United FC jersey against a blue background
Four soccer players in navy shirts pose together in front of a soccer stadium field and stands.

At Malaga CF game

First Thanksgiving Dinner together in our new clubhouse/restaurant in the city center of Marbella.

Large group of friends dining together at a long restaurant table while watching football on a wall-mounted TV