Joshua Gabriel Moleje, a 15-year-old footballer from Bacolod City, has taken a significant step towards his “childhood dream” of playing in Spain, earning a 100% scholarship from Levante UD, a Valencia-based football club in Spain’s La Liga Division 2.
“Mom, I’m going to Spain!” Moleje shared on Facebook after hearing his name announced as the best player in the 2024 International Football Championships (IFC) in Bali, Indonesia. His performance helped the Azkals Development Academy (ADA) Under-15 team secure a silver medal in the tournament.
Levante UD, known for producing legends like Johan Cruyff, recognized Moleje’s talent, giving him a chance to train in one of football’s most prestigious environments. “There are no words to fully express how grateful I am. I owe this moment to so many people,” Moleje said, adding, “I’m incredibly excited for this next chapter.”
Moleje, who started playing football in 2019, has been guided by Stephen Shrock, a former Philippine national team captain and founder of the ADA. Ignacio Casiño III, the ADA’s IFC facilitator and a coach with ties to Levante UD, hailed the achievement as a “major milestone” for Philippine football.
“This is just the beginning,” Casiño said. “I’m excited to bring more Filipino talent to Spain as an official partner of Levante UD in the Philippines.”
