All episodes of Why We Love This Club
Why We Love This Club
Aug 7, 2026
Why We Love This Club

Independiente del Valle — The Academy That Became a Continental Power

Independiente del Valle, Ecuador’s LigaPro, the Copa Libertadores and one of South America’s best football academies are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club , exploring how a small club from Sangolquí became a continental power. Founded in 1958 and transformed after Michel Deller and his partners took control in 2007, Independiente built its rise around elite youth development…

Spotify
3 mos ago 13:10

Show notes

Independiente del Valle, Ecuador’s LigaPro, the Copa Libertadores and one of South America’s best football academies are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club , exploring how a small club from Sangolquí became a continental power. Founded in 1958 and transformed after Michel Deller and his partners took control in 2007, Independiente built its rise around elite youth development rather than traditional size or spending. Chris traces the academy that produced Moisés Caicedo, Willian Pacho, Piero Hincapié, Kendry Páez, Gonzalo Plata and Angelo Preciado . The episode also explores Independiente’s remarkable 2016 Copa Libertadores run past River Plate and Boca Juniors, Copa Sudamericana titles in 2019 and 2022, the 2023 Recopa Sudamericana victory over Flamengo and the club’s modern home at Estadio Banco Guayaquil inside the Valley of Dreams training complex. Current figures including Junior Sornoza, Richard Schunke, Emerson Pata, Matías Perelló and Joaquín Papa continue a model built on scouting, education, coaching and reinvestment. It’s the story of how Independiente del Valle turned an academy into one of South American football’s smartest competitive advantages. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you enjoyed this show, you may like these other soccer podcasts by Chris. The Beautiful Game: Unfiltered The Underdog Football Show Thanks for listening!

Underdog Stories

The story behind this episode

All stories

More from Why We Love This Club

Wrexham AFC — Saved by the Town, Lifted by Hollywood

Wrexham AFC, Welsh football, supporter ownership, Hollywood investment, and one of the most remarkable revival stories in modern soccer are at the center of the Season 1 finale of Why We Love This Club . Chris Horwedel traces Wrexham’s story from its 1864 founding at the Turf and its deep roots in the town through famous European nights, the 1992 FA Cup upset of Arsenal and decades of financial…

1 wk ago · 17:43

Centro Storico Lebowski — They Sang Anyway

Centro Storico Lebowski, supporter ownership, Italian lower-league football and one of Europe’s most unusual fan-built clubs are at the center of this episode of Why We Love This Club . Chris Horwedel tells the story of a group of teenagers in Florence who went looking for the worst team in the city, arrived late, watched it lose 3–0 and started singing anyway. What began as an almost absurd act…

2 wks ago · 13:04

Al-Wehdat SC — The Club Built from Temporary Housing

Al-Wehdat SC, Jordanian football, Palestinian identity and one of the Middle East’s most powerful community clubs are at the center of this episode of Why We Love This Club . Chris Horwedel traces Al-Wehdat’s story back to 1956, when a football club grew from a youth center inside New Amman Camp, a refugee settlement built for Palestinians displaced from their homes. The club’s name comes from…

2 wks ago · 13:35

Young Africans SC — The Club Built Before Tanzania

Young Africans SC, Tanzanian football, the Kariakoo Derby and one of East Africa’s most important sporting institutions are at the center of this episode of Why We Love This Club . Chris Horwedel traces Yanga’s story back to 1935, when African residents in colonial Dar es Salaam formed a team before Tanzania itself existed. The club’s identity developed alongside the country’s independence…

2 wks ago · 13:36