The Mayor of Alicante, Luis Barcala, Praises Elche CF at the 2025 Alicante Awards

Elche Football Club became one of the main highlights of the evening during the 2025 Alicante Awards, organised by TodoAlicante on Wednesday, 19th November. In a ceremony that recognised the merit, effort, and contribution of individuals, associations, institutions, and companies from across the province, the franjiverde team received a special award for its return to the top tier of Spanish football, demonstrating that great joys have emerged from shared effort: from the stands, from the neighbourhoods, and from the collective enthusiasm that defines the franjiverde spirit.

The most talked-about moment came when the Mayor of Alicante, Luis Barcala, delivered a resounding message of admiration towards the Elche club, words that did not go unnoticed among the attendees: "My sincerest congratulations to Elche Football Club, a team that is now a symbol of our province and a source of pride for all the people of Alicante when we can watch how they are playing."

A gesture that holds more value in the historical context of sporting rivalry between the two cities. Since Pablo Ruz and Barcala became mayors of Elche and Alicante, they have decided to set aside differences to work together on common projects that benefit both cities.

The president of Elche CF, Joaquín Buitrago, was responsible for collecting the award from the hands of Elche's Sports Councillor, José Antonio Román, and used his speech to highlight the social and emotional dimension surrounding the club. Buitrago recalled that the Martínez Valero has become a meeting point for thousands of people every two weeks: "It is a pride for the club to unite more than 25,000 people every two weeks at the Martínez Valero," he stated.

The president also wanted to emphasise the role of the stadium as a venue for major recent sporting events. In just a month, the Elche coliseum has hosted the Spanish national team and, last week, the world champion, Argentina, becoming one of the major sporting showcases of the province. Furthermore, he reinforced the club's commitment to its territory: "Football moves passions and our vocation is to project the image of our land abroad," he noted. And he concluded with an optimistic message that resonated in the room: "The best for this club is yet to come."

The words of Barcala and the intervention of Buitrago marked a gala that reinforced the role of Elche CF as one of the sporting and social references of the province.