“The champion tells about the changes that football in the dwarf state high in Pyrenees.”, – WRITE: Champion.com.ua
Recently, Andorra teams have not taken seriously; They were played by amateurs who trained in their spare time.
The champion tells about the changes that football in the dwarf state high in Pyrenees.
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Andorre football has traditions? No, they are gone.
The first draw of the Andorra Cup was held in 1991, and the debut championship under the auspices of UEFA – in seasons-1995/96.
Prior to that, Andorrians played amateur competitions that were not taken into account outside this tiny country high in the Eastern Pyrenees. Its area is 467 square kilometers, the population is 80 thousand mountains.
They speak catalan, accept 9 million tourists every year and enjoy low taxes.
These are not easy to interest in a short and often painful career of a professional athlete.
For decades, the only thread that Andorra associated with big football was founded in 1942 by FC Andorra. It began as a sad story, because to tell it to anyone.
In 1992, Vlad, Vlad, instructed the journalist Luis de Santiago to the 50th anniversary of the club. For the sake of more reliability, he was sent all the data from the archives, but soon where Santiago died – and the archive disappeared, he was never found.
It turns out that the Andorians write their story again right now.
This is usually done by Santa Cap.
In 2007, Juli Fernandez brought her the first victory in the European Cups-1: 0 over McCabi Tel Aviv. In 2014, the same Santa Coloma was the first of the Andorrtians to be in the 2nd round of qualifications, having overcome the sum of two matches of the Armenian Bananz thanks to the goalkeeper’s goalkeeper Eloy Kazals.
Well, this summer, all three Andorrian tests Inter, athletic and Santa column did not leave after the 1st round of the European Cups. The progress is crazy.
Where did the football boom start? From Gerard Picke.
Seriously!
In 2018, the legendary defender bought Andorra’s FC when he was swimming in the 5th Spanish Division, he collected 50 people in the stands, and his only sponsor was a restaurant Beluga.
It was a huge risk, and soon Gerard paid 200,000 euros of club debt; found Andorri partners in Catalonia; replaced local amateurs by visiting professionals; He presented symbolic shares of Seska Fabregas and Lionel Messi for greater recognition.
Right hand peak on football operations Ferran Vilasca did not hide:
“Gerard dreams of hearing the Anthem of the Champions League in Andorra, it would be wonderful. But we know that getting out in La League is really difficult, and we work step by step.”
It changed everything.
The ambitions of the superstar attracted attention to Andorra; Agents came here, the League saturated with legionnaires. The status of offshore and low taxes accelerated the process.
The end of the amateurism came the end. If in 2014, Kazalski earned 500 euros in Santa Kolom, and the rest of the time was bought on construction, today he confesses that the Andorrians even filter professionals:
“We no longer take all in a row.
The Highlanders set a minimum for the football player – 1300 euros. Coaches, their assistants, fitness trainers-all should be professionals. Tournaments also appeared U17, U21, Women’s competitions.
The federation not only demands, but also invested. In 2017-23, infrastructure investments exceeded EUR 10 million. For example, the LA Massana training center built mainly at FIFA’s funds has received an international distinction for quality.
“Sometimes our teams had to divide the training field with a superniper team, which was why it was impossible to play some homework because the opponent saw everything. The new space is facilitating this work,” Felix Alvarez President Federation Federation rejoiced.
The crown of his effort is “Knowledge Estada Enkhamp” is the new largest arena of the country that meets the requirements of UEFA and La Liga. Its capacity is 5,500 gunners. It is here that the Santa Coloma will accept Polesie; Andorra FC will also play here as well as the national team.
And what are the landscapes?! It seems to be playing here and it is impossible to think about football.
So which Andorral team is the strongest? Without options, it is FC Andorra.
This club does not perform in the internal championship, but fights in Spanish, like Monaco in League 1. Thanks to the money, they grow steadily.
In 2022, Andorra went to Segunda for the first time in history, and although she immediately flew, in June 2025 they repeated their achievements.
Gerard celebrated as once victories in the Champions League.
When he bought a club, 26,000 people were signed on all his social networks, and now it is 130,000 only in Instagram. Even in the 3rd Division, the club paid its leaders at 400-500 thousand euros, and in Segundy the costs will double, but Andorra knows what to do.
The connections are very helpful – for example, the club signed the younger brother of Roben Le Normann Theo Theo.
“Now we need to learn from the mistakes of the past, because the question is not only in enhancing but also development,” says the General Zhaume Norz.
Well, of course, all Andorra’s football lovers will seek to get on “Know Estada Enkham” since August to support their in Segunda. There are no problems with the fact that this is the Spanish league. The average attendance of FC Andorra is 2,000 spectators, while in the internal Andorrian league is 200-300 people.
Another reality, yes.
For example, even in the Andorra Championship, even today, teams may not have enough fields for morning training, because it has already been occupied by children.
Also, through fashion for short-term signing of free agents, it is so that the team starts with 3-4 players in the composition, and then the rest is interrupting in the course.
And what is the level of Santa Cap? Low.
The total cost of its players is € 3.5 million. It’s no longer amateurs but Transfermarkt So evaluates, for example, a hook.
To all, the best times of Santa Coloma are behind. She won 13 out of 27 championships, but the last time was in 2019.
In 2022, this Santa Coloma bought Dan Milstein, but not be proud of Kiev. The Jew by origin, Milstein left Ukraine after the Chernobyl disaster, and in the United States gained glory as the agent of the largest Russian hockey stars – Pavel Datsyuk, Danis Zaripov, Panarin’s Archhemias and more.
It is not surprising that Santa Koloma coach Milstein appointed Russian Dmitry Cherishev-the father of Real’s exgrade to Denis Cherishev.
Russians in Santa Coloma, FClubsantacoloma.netHe did not succeed and soon went away, but Andorra remembers with pleasure – he says, I would like to live there:
“Due to the proximity of Spain, Portugal and France, there are several football styles here. A team that shared 2-3 places with us, played a very strong guy who won all the riding balls. And not To say that it is straightforward – they correctly use the characteristics of players. The leader team is quite different. They kept the ball, played the bottom, their coach – a pet of Barcelona. ”
Interestingly, in the time of Chryshev for Andorra, a Ukrainian Andrey Markovich played, who worked with a coach that they were still together – in Ravshan Kulyab from Tajikistan.
One of the most promising young Andorras from Remolins plays for Santa Koloma, and all local in the team 2-3. The rest are mostly elderly Spaniards, 3-4 divisions.
Why do they come?
“The opportunity to play in European competitions is exciting,” adriasis admits that he did not grow at home and to Primera Rfefbut in Andorra he traveled half the elite.
What is the boundary of the Andorrian ambitions for today? Differently.
The Football Federation and Clubs dream of a group round of the conference League. They are very inspired that the Gibraltarians have already played there.
“We are improving and moving away from the thoughts” How many do we miss? “To” Who will go on?
On the other hand, the fans dream that FC Andorra became entrenched in Segunda and finally played at least one Andorrets on a permanent basis. There are now three local peaks at the club, but they all do not even have rooms.
Well, Andorra as a state think about profit, because football is business too.
In the budget for 2025, the government allocated subsidies for federations and clubs by 4.7 million euros. Instead, the sports sector will bring 7.7% of GDP, or 230 million euros, creating 2250 jobs.
It is not only about football, but also about the World of Ski Sports, the stages of the de France and the vultaur tour; Sports Medical Center Iconic At an altitude of 2508 meters per 24 million euros, where elite professionals from different types come.
In short, Andorra knows what she wants and how she wants it.
The only thing that holds back growth is the already mentioned area of 467 square kilometers and 80 thousand people. Whatever it is, but the size matters.