CD Sobradillo Marks 18th Consecutive Season in Spain’s Elite Youth League

Club Deportivo Sobradillo’s continued presence in Spain’s elite youth football league is a statistical rarity in the Canary Islands. According to Deporpress, the Santa Cruz-based club has secured its spot in the División de Honor for an eighteenth consecutive season—a milestone no other club in the archipelago, outside of the reserve teams for CD Tenerife and UD Las Palmas, has managed to sustain.

This achievement is particularly impressive given the recent instability in grassroots football across the western province. While historic clubs like Marino, Mensajero, and Atlético Paso have faced relegations, Sobradillo has defied the odds. This season, the club faced extra challenges when Storm Emilia caused structural damage to their home ground, El Galán. Despite having to relocate matches to venues like Barranco Grande and Las Delicias, the team still met its goals with three games to spare.

Club president Manolo Jara has been central to this success. Under his leadership, the club has become a launchpad for professional talent, most notably Alberto Moleiro, whose rise to the elite remains a major point of pride for the organization.

However, Jara is concerned about the future of youth football in Tenerife. He has criticized the Inter-island Football Federation of Tenerife and its president, Alejandro Morales Mansito, for a perceived lack of support. He also points to broader social issues, such as declining birth rates and increasing pressure from parents on coaching staff, as factors that are negatively changing the landscape of youth academies.

Regarding the disciplinary sanctions he received from the federation a year ago, Jara declined to comment, noting that the matter is currently under judicial review. Regardless, Sobradillo’s journey remains a remarkable example of how a modest club can thrive in a highly competitive environment with very little room for error.